By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 2 January 2016 at 12:00 am
Photo by Kristina Gabalski – Holley Elementary School Assistant Principal Ashley John Grillo, Elementary Library Media Specialist Julie Bader and Principal Karri Schiavone are pictured last month when Bader was presented with a Soaring to New Heights award.
In October, Holley elementary students decorated pumpkins to look like book characters, including this one that resembles Junie B. Jones.
HOLLEY – Julie Bader, Holley Elementary School Library Media Specialist, was presented with the Soaring to New Heights Award during a recent Holley Board of Education meeting.
Karri Schiavone, Holley Elementary School principal, and Ashley John Grillo, Holley Elementary assistant principal, nominated Bader for the award recognizing her efforts to bring the Elementary School Library to life.
“There is always something great inside and outside the library,” Schiavone told Board members on Dec. 21. She noted the library “is always full of kids.”
Schiavone described Bader as “so clever and so creative. There is always something fun happening in the library.”
In their nomination, Schiavone and Grillo praised Bader for collaborating with teachers to incorporate themes and skills being taught in the classroom.
“She designs activities during the day and after school to involve children in the ‘fun’ of reading,” the nomination stated. “She helped design and is teaching integrated technology classes to all of the third through sixth graders. Julie has really taken the library from a place to simply exchange books to a child friendly, adventure filled literacy rich media center.”
School Board President Brenda Swanger said she also has been impressed with the activity surrounding the Elementary Library.
“I walk by and then I turn around and go back,” she said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 January 2016 at 12:00 am
Holley man inspired many in campaign for sheriff
Photos by Tom Rivers – Randy Bower is joined by many members of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department when he was sworn in as new sheriff on Dec. 30.
Randy Bower in early 2015 met with many Republican Party leaders, trying to make his case to be the next sheriff of the county. When it was time to endorse a candidate on May 7, Bower would get about 40 percent of the vote from the Orleans County Republican Committee.
The majority chose Tom Drennan as the party candidate. Drennan worked as chief deputy for nine years. He certainly had the resume to succeed Scott Hess, who would retire on Dec. 31.
Bower, on May 4, secured the Conservative Party endorsement ahead the GOP committe vote. He was guaranteed a spot on the November ballot, but to win, he would likely need the Republican Party line in November. To do that, Bower would have to force a Republican primary against Drennan and win.
Bower, 50, may have seemed like an unlikely sheriff candidate. He didn’t have experience as a police officer. He worked 29 years as public safety dispatcher.
He also has been confined to a wheelchair after a serious car accident at age 18.
Bower has been active in the community, even coaching the Holley varsity girls basketball team when his daughter Jessica played. The team went from winless to the playoffs with Bower earning coach of the year honors.
If people thought Bower would quietly go away after the Republican Party endorsement, they were wrong. The following week he announced Chris Bourke, a long-time lieutenant and K9 handler, would be his undersheriff.
“Randy is an organizer,” Bourke said during a May 13 interview at Bower’s home in Holley. “I have no doubt he can do the job.”
On June 6, Holley held its annual June Fest parade. There were a few political candidates in the parade, usually the candidate and maybe one or two supporters passing out candy.
Bower had about 50 supporters. They were wearing red “Bower for Sheriff” T-shirts and many of the people in the parade were deputies and employees for the Sheriff’s Department. Drennan didn’t march in the Holley parade.
Randy Bower, left, had a large contingent of supporters wearing red during the Holley parade, helping him in his campaign for Orleans County sheriff. Holley is Bower’s hometown.
Bower’s supporters on the parade routes would grow at Lyndonville’s Fourth of July Parade and the Kendall Firemen’s Carnival. Drennan also appeared with many supporters at those parades.
By June, Bower hand more than 500 signatures of registered Republicans to force a Primary on Sept. 10 versus Drennan.
Bower had his own display and outside booth at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds and met with residents daily. While many candidates seem to get worn down in a campaign, Bower maintained an enthusiasm throughout.
He met frequently with his supporters and assigned team captains to get out the vote throughout the county. He built an organization outside the leadership of the Republican Party, which has long dominated local politics.
On Primary Day, Bower would hold a razor-thin 27-vote lead, 1,588 to 1,561, over Drennan. When the absentee ballots were counted on Sept. 15, Bower won 1,671 to 1,650.
Randy Bower is all smiles outside the Board of Elections office on Sept. 15 when he realizes he has won the Republican line for Orleans County sheriff in the Nov. 3 election. Chris Bourke, left, campaigned with Bower as Bower’s choice for undersheriff.
Drennan also wouldn’t go away quietly. He believed he had the experience in law enforcement and the proven leadership skills to lead the department. He also had the Reform and Independence party lines.
Drennan showed plenty of fortitude and commitment in his campaign.
A third candidate also would emerge for the November election. Don Organisciak, a retired Medina police investigator, had the backing of the Democratic Party.
Orleans County residents were witnessing one of the most competitive and grueling local elections in recent history. On Nov. 3, the election felt like a tossup.
Bower won by a comfortable margin. He topped Drennan, 3,951 votes to 3,507, with Organisciak getting 847.
“I think the people are ready for a change,” Bower said after the results came in Nov. 3. “Now we have to go to work for the people of Orleans County.”
Bower was busy after the election meeting with law enforcement leaders in the county and region. He attended a state-wide conference for sheriffs in Albany.
He ran with several goals for the Sheriff’s Department, including bringing mental health and drug addiction services to inmates in the county jail. “These are our people,” Bower has said.
During the Albany conference, he heard from sheriffs who have success helping inmates with mental health problems. Last month, the Orleans County Legislature announced its support for a similar effort in the county jail after hearing a presentation from Bower; Scott Wilson, the jail superintendent; and Mark O’Brien, the director of mental health in Orleans County.
Mark O’Brien (right), director of the Orleans County Mental Health Department, presents the Stepping Up Initiative to Orleans County legislators on Dec. 16. O’Brien is joined by Scott Wilson (center), the jail superintendent, and Randy Bower.
Bower has shown he can bring people together and inspire them to a higher purpose. During a time of voter apathy and public disenchantment with politicians, he inspired an army of “Randy Red” in his campaign for sheriff.
Bower said it wasn’t just about winning an election. During his swearing-in on Dec. 30, about 125 people filled the main courtroom at the Orleans County Courthouse.
“Now we go to work for the people of Orleans County,” Bower again told the group.
Judge James Punch has sworn in many elected officials the past two decades and he said he didn’t recall such a crowd for one of the ceremonial events.
He told the group at Bower’s swearing-in that the new sheriff is an inspiration for the community, bringing an upbeat attitude and strong desire to serve the public.
“He’s an unstoppable force,” Punch said.
Punch recalled when he was in his late 20s and he met Bower when he was 19, soon after his serious accident. Bower, even then, exuded optimism and gave people a boost, the judge said.
Bower said he lives a blessed life with his wife Robin and their two grown children: Jessica and Jacob. In addition to working as a dispatcher, he has been a member of the Sheriff’s Department’s Off-Road Patrol from 1992-1998, riding all-terrain vehicles to help locate missing persons, stolen property and respond to other situations.
“This wheelchair is just a perception,” said during a campaign speech. “I can do anything I want.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Orleans County is blessed to have many dedicated volunteers and generous residents, who give of their time, talents and financial resources for a better community. Each year since the Orleans Hub started in April 2013 we’ve recognized outstanding citizens and we want to do it again.
This time there are two – Melissa Ierlan of Clarendon and Al Capurso of Gaines – who are first-time “repeat winners.” We have no limits on how many times someone can be recognized. Many residents make big contributions to the community, year after year.
This year’s “Outstanding Citizens” include:
Kendall Community Chorus hits the right notes
Photo by Kristina Gabalski – Mary Campbell, far right, directs the Kendall Community Choir during a holiday concert in November. The concert also served as a benefit for the Kendall Food Cupboard.
In 2008, Mary Campbell put notices in Kendall churches and public buildings, looking for singers. Campbell retired as a Kendall music teacher in 2007. A year later, she was eager to lead voices again.
Campbell hoped 20 people from Kendall would volunteer for the Kendall Community Chorus. The first practice, 50 people showed up. The choir has performed in numerous concerts since then, including a big bash for Kendall’s bicentennial in 2012. They have sung in the school, at the town park, and many local nursing homes. They begin the annual Kendall Fireman’s Carnival Parade with the “Star Spangled Banner” and “America, the Beautiful.” They even sang a patriotic medley in a flash mob at Wegmans in Brockport.
The group’s annual November concert benefitted the Kendall Food Cupboard, with people urged to bring canned goods or cash donations.
“We tried to go where there were people we knew,” Campbell said.
Sixty-eight people have sung in the choir since it started. Many have become close friends through the group. Campbell announced after the November concert she was retiring from directing. She thanked the many dedicated singers. About 30 have stayed with the group since it started.
Campbell has been the group’s leader as it enriched the community, and built strong bonds of friendship. She said the singers have all given of their time to make the group a success.
Provided photo
Eighteen members of the Kendall Community Chorus sang in October 2014 at the Middleport Community Choir Invitational. The 18 members from the Kendall Community Chorus are, from left, first row: Kristy Markham, Alissa Grimm, Lisa Rowley, Katie Presutti, Marilynn Kundratta and Mary Campbell. Second row: Cindy Curtis, Debbie Collichio, Eileen Young and Candy Mael. Third row: Carol Duerr, Marietta Schuth and Mary Lou Lockhart. Fourth row: Jeremy Rath, Nancy Grah, Christopher Tobin, Robert Bissell and Eileen Grah.
Animal lover has boosted dog and cat adoptions, improved shelter
Photo by Tom Rivers – Joette McHugh of Albion, center, is pictured with her husband Bill and Gina Smith of Hilton. They are with Zurie, a Shar-Pei/Lab mix. About 20 volunteers are regulars at the Orleans County Animal Shelter, feeding animals, taking dogs for walks, socializing cats and performing other duties.
Ever since she retired nine years ago, Joette McHugh has been a devoted volunteer at the Orleans County Animal Shelter. She knows all of the dogs and cats by name, and has been instrumental in adopting out many of the animals.
She also has been a driven fund-raiser and spearheaded the start of the Friends of the Orleans County Animal Shelter. She is president of that group, which had a fund-raising gala at The Pillars in May, bringing in about $7,000.
That has helped to have all dogs neutered at the shelter, and also paid for a new washer and dryer.
Most of the animals at the shelter are chipped which makes it much easier to find their owners if the animals are ever lost or on the loose. The number of adoptions has actually gone down in the past couple years because the shelter has been able to find many of the owners.
However, many cats and dogs don’t have homes. McHugh, the other dedicated volunteers and Animal Control Officer Kathy Smith have adopted out 1,500 dogs and cats in the past seven years.
McHugh brings enthusiasm and joy to the shelter, whether its feeding the animals, walking dogs, playing with cats or cleaning cages.
“I love the animals and thought if there was anything I could do to help I would,” McHugh said.
Medina churches unite throughout the year to help community
Some of the members of the Medina Area Association of Churches are pictured on Dec. 19 after toys. clothes and food were delivered to Medina families, including about 150 children. The group includes, from left: Grace Pries from the First Baptist Church, Rosey Boyle from the United Methodist, Donna Johnson from the Presbyterian Church, Sue Metzo from the Presbyterian, Pastor Tony Hipes of the United Methodist, Joanne Arnett with United Methodist, and Ronnie Barhite from St. John’s Episcopal Church.
For more than four decades a group of Medina churches have played Santa during the holidays for local families.
The annual MAAC toy drive allows about 150 children to have several toys each year, as well as food, and new hats, mittens, scarves and socks.
The churches also work together throughout the year running the clothing depot at the Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God, the former Medina High School. The depot sells clothes below thrift store prices. It generates about $30,000 to $35,000 annually that the churches give back to the community for many causes.
The humanitarian work has brought Christians from several churches together, strengthening their fellowship while they provide for local residents.
“You don’t see this in many other communities,” said Tony Hipes, pastor of the United Methodist Church and current vice president of MAAC. “It’s the body of Christ. We’re giving back throughout the year.”
MAAC members Sue Metzo (left) and Sylvia Riviere are pictured in December 2014 inside the Medina United Methodist Church at the former Apple Grove Inn, which has become the headquarters for the annual present sorting.
Charter boat captain has been instrumental in raising trout, salmon for local fishery
Bob Songin, in red, lead the pen-rearing project from 1998 to 2014 until passing off the reins to a new group of volunteers this year. Songin remains active in helping to raise the fish in the Oak Orchard River.
Orleans County’s top tourism draw are big salmon and trout in Lake Ontario and local tributaries, such as Oak Orchard River, Johnson Creek and Sandy Creek. Fishing has a $12 million economic impact in the county each year.
A local charter boat captain has given countless hours to improve the fishery through a pen-rearing project. With that effort, begun in 1998, about 100,000 baby fish are delivered to pens in the Oak Orchard River from the Altmar Hatchery.
The fish arrive at about 2 inches long. The are babied and nurtured for a month in the Oak Orchard, doubling in size before they are released from the pens. They are fed five times a day, beginning at 5 a.m.
The month in the Oak Orchard allows the fish to imprint on the river, increasing the chances they will return to spawn when they are mature.
Without the pen-rearing, the fish would more likely head near Oswego and the Salmon River, near the Altmar Hatchery.
Bob Songin is charter boat captain with Reel Excitement.
Songin and the volunteers have increased the survival rate of fish, and charter boat captains say more bigger fish return to the Oak Orchard for fall fishing runs since the pen-rearing.
“He has spent untold hours getting it off the ground,” said Mike Waterhouse, the county’s sportsfishing promotion coordinator. “The whole community benefits because it ensures our fish will remain at a level to draw fishermen from all over the country.”
Songin also has shared the success of the Oak Orchard pen-rearing with other fishing communities. Now there are similar efforts in Olcott and the Genesee River in Rochester. This year he handed off the main pen-rearing responsibilities to Mike Lavender, Bob Stevens, James Cond, Chris Efing and Ian Scroger.
Downtown business owner spearheads several efforts in Albion
Lisa Stratton is dressed in costume during Beggar’s Night in October, when hundreds of children stopped by Albion businesses for treats.
Lisa Stratton, owner of the Hazy Jade Gift Shop in downtown Albion, remains one of Albion’s biggest boosters and tireless workers.
Each spring she and a few other volunteers fill concrete planters with dirt and flowers. She also arranges for the hanging baskets on Main Street.
Stratton organizes volunteers to water the flowers on weekends. She also helps plan many of the events through the Albion Merchants Association, including a wine tasting, Beggar’s Night with candy for children, and other activities throughout the year that provide fun for the community while promoting the locally owned businesses in the downtown.
She attends many of the Village Board meetings, advocating for the downtown businesses, and often will step forward to help with a community event.
Old farmhouse turned into hunting retreat for wounded warriors
Photos by Thom Jennings – Hunters pose with some of the birds harvested during a hunt in September in Shelby, the first for The Warrior House.
Peter Zeliff Jr. turned an old farmhouse in West Shelby into a therapeutic site this year for wounded veterans.
Zeliff and a team of volunteers fixed up the house and connected with veterans’ groups to bring injured soldiers to the site for a few days of hunting. The property was renamed The Warrior House.
The site hosted its first hunt in September with 13 wounded veterans. Other groups have followed and The Warrior House will be made available to spouses and children of veterans as well.
Zeliff sees the site as a ministry for people who served the country. Some bear obvious injuries and walk with a cane. Others suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and constant physical pain.
Shannon Girard from Lafayette, La. was out for a hunt at The Warrior House in late October-early November. Girard, 40, said he “slept like a baby” over the weekend on his hunting retreat. That is a big deal for Girard and the other veterans.
Girard was deployed as a medic to Iraq in 2004-05. The Louisiana resident said the hunting getaway is a perfect way for veterans to calm their nerves and bodies, while connecting with others in the military.
“The best therapy is bringing people together,” Girard said on Nov. 1 after a morning of bow-hunting. “You can decompress when you come out here and be in nature and see the beautiful sunrises and sunsets.”
Zeliff, through his generosity and hard work at The Warrior House, is making a big difference for many soldiers.
Peter Zeliff Jr. is pictured in July during a workday at The Warrior House.
Volunteer made farm market a Medina hotspot
Photo by Tom Rivers – Gail Miller stepped forward this year as volunteer coordinator of the new Canal Village Farmers’ Market in Medina.
A farmers’ market that operated in the Canal Basin for about a decade ceased after the 2014 season. The Orleans Renaissance Group saw a farmers’ market as a draw for the downtown and residents’ quality of life.
The ORG decided to start a new market, The Canal Village Farmers’ Market. The market date was moved from Thursdays to Saturdays, and the location shifted from the Canal Basin to the parking lot across from the Post Office.
Gail Miller volunteered to lead the market, working with vendors and lining up entertainment and exhibitors. Some Saturdays, 450 to 500 attended the market.
“It’s been a great group effort,” said Mrs. Miller on the market’s final day of the season, which was Halloween. She dressed as an Angry Bird character that day.
Next year the market will start in June, and Miller said there will be more entertainment and demonstrations. She has been a key to the market’s success and it’s bright future.
One of oldest cobblestone schools gets new life
Al Capurso is pictured with a new historical marker that was unveiled Oct. 17 by a former one-room schoolhouse on Gaines Basin Road, just north of the Erie Canal. The schoolhouse was built in 1832 and is one of the oldest cobbesltone buildings in the area.
Orleans County is home to about 100 cobblestone buildings and many other historic sites that are a source of pride. But there could be more if the wrecking ball, fires and neglect hadn’t destroyed former mansions, schoolhouses and other sites established in the 1800s.
Al Capurso didn’t want to lose another building that is important to the county’s past. This year Capurso rallied volunteers to save a former one-room schoolhouse on Gaines Basin Road. The building from 1832 is one of the oldest cobblestone buildings in the county and region.
The building has been largely abandoned since 1944. This year it got a new roof. Boards were removed from windows and sashes restored. Junk was cleared out.
Capurso and members of the Orleans County Historical Association also put up a historical marker for the school. The marker notes that Caroline Phipps taught at the school. She went on to be a distinguished educator and ran the Phipps Union Seminary in Albion from 1837 to 1875. That spot later became the County Clerks Building.
The 913-square-foot building needs more work and Capurso has a game plan to get it done. Next year he said there will be repairs to the floor, and the building will be rewired and ceiling and walls plastered. Some missing sections of cobblestones will be replaced with appropriate soft lime mortar.
In 2017, Capurso said he expects the site will receive donations for a piano, school desks, teachers desk, wood stove, tables, chairs and wall hangings. The site, where hundreds of children were educated, will add to the county’s historical fabric. A treasure that could have caved in has been saved.
Capurso was recognized as an outstanding citizen by the Orleans Hub in 2014 for leading the effort to have the federal government name a creek in honor of a pioneer resident, Elizabeth Gilbert. It flows 6.5 miles along Brown Road in Gaines across Ridge Road to Carlton.
It took a year of lining up local support, and gaining permission from the federal Bureau of Geographic Names. The agency on April 10, 2014 formally approved the naming request.
Faded signs about local history get a makeover
In August, the historical marker for Balcom’s Mills on Fancher Road in Murray was reinstalled with fresh paint. Melissa Ierlan, the Clarendon town historian, repainted the marker. She is right of the marker in light purple shirt. Ierlan repainted nine historical markers in the past two years.
It started in 2014 when Clarendon was celebrating the 150th anniversary of Carl Akeley’s birth. Akeley grew up in Clarendon on Hinds Road and became one of the most famous taxidermists in the world.
Melissa Ierlan, the town historian, noticed the historical marker on Hinds Road about Akeley could barely be read due to flaking paint. She took the marker down, stripped off the remaining paint and repainted it blue and gold.
She did three others in Clarendon. It’s tedious work, but she wanted the markers to look good.
Other communities also had markers in need of fresh paint and Ierlan this year has redone five markers, including one for the Elba Muck, one in Albion for Grace Bidell, two on Ridge Road in Gaines, and one in Murray.
She has three others and some will require welding.
The restored markers not only make it easier to read about prominent people and places in the community’s past but also project a message that the community cares about its historical assets. Ierlan has done a nice service in reviving some of these markers.
She was also an outstanding citizen in 2014 for her efforts to save the chapel at Hillside Cemetery. Ierlan received good news on that project on Dec. 10 when the state announced a $126,210 grant for the chapel.
Deputy survives shootout, prevents mayhem
Deputy James DeFilipps is pictured with his wife Marie and their infant son Jake at the Orleans County Public Safety Building on May 19 during a recognition program.
It was 3 a.m. on March 21 when James DeFilipps was shot twice following a high-speed chase with James Ellis of Wyoming County. Thankfully, the deputy was wearing a bullet-proof vest.
DeFilipps was the first police officer on scene when Ellis wrecked his vehicle in Clarendon on Route 31A. Police were pursuing Ellis after a 911 call when he threatened an ex-girlfriend in Shelby with a gun.
DeFilipps was the first on the scene. Ellis had fled to a nearby wooded area and opened fire on DeFilipps and other deputies and police to arrive on the scene. DeFilipps, despite getting hit twice by gunfire, shot Ellis, killing him and ending his threat.
Police feared Ellis could have shot more officers on the scene if DeFilipps hadn’t been there. Ellis could have fled to a neighbor’s house.
A grand jury reviewed the evidence and found DeFilipps was justified in the shooting. After recovering from his wound to his stomach, he returned to the night shift for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, where he has worked nearly 13 years.
Orleans Hub will recognize the outstanding citizens during a reception in February.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Provided photos – Thomas Follman, a Lyndonville High School senior, was presented with a NROTC Scholarship last week by Sgt. Yertich from the Batavia recruiting station. Follman is pictured with his father, Curt Follman, left.
LYNDONVILLE – It started as a normal school morning for Thomas Follman, president of the Lyndonville Student Council. He read the morning announcements on Dec. 10, one of his roles as president.
But then the High School Principal, Dr. Aaron Slack, claimed the microphone for one more announcement.
Slack let Follman and the student body know about a prestigious scholarship for one of the seniors. In fact, Follman was the recipient of the Naval Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (NROTC) Scholarship.
The award will cover four years of tuition for Follman, who wants to join the Marine Corps. He has applied to several universities to study either mechanical engineering or criminal justice.
The NROTC could save Follman $160,000 to $180,000 if he is accepted and enrolls at the University of Rochester, for example.
“It takes a whole lot of pressure off,” Follman said about the scholarship.
Follman keeps a 92.65 academic average, and he is president of the Lyndonville Class of 2016 and the National Honor Society. He also has been active playing football for the combined Lyndonville-Medina team, wrestling for Lyndonville and participating in the school musicals. He also works full-time in the summer at the White Birch Golf Course, maintaining the grounds.
Thomas Follman is presented with the (NROTC) Scholarship last week during a surprise at Lyndonville High School.
Follman said his dream would be to go to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. He has interviewed with the offices of the U.S. Rep. Chris Collins and U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to be accepted to the Naval Academy. The Marines are a component of the Navy.
Recipients of the Naval Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (NROTC) Scholarship must meet extreme rigorous academic standards. In addition to a normal academic workload leading to a four-year college degree, NROTC students attend classes in Naval Science, participate in the NROTC unit for drill, physical training, and other activities, and are taught the leadership principles and high ideals of a military officer.
During the summer break between school years, NROTC students participate in training activities to help students understand career options and familiarize them with military life.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 December 2015 at 12:00 am
KENDALL – The National Corn Growers Association released the state and national winners in its annual corn yield contest and a Kendall farmer led the state and finished third in the country.
Matt Kludt of the Kludt Brothers Farm led New York with a yield of 322.97 bushels per acre in the no till/strip till non-irrigated class. He used a DeKalb seed.
Kludt will receive national recognition in publications such as the NCYC Corn Yield Guide, as well as cash trips or other awards from participating sponsoring seed, chemical and crop protection companies. In New Orleans, during the 2016 Commodity Classic, winners will be honored during the NCGA Awards Banquet and the NCYC State Winners Breakfast.
Kludt is a past winner for the state. He finished third overall in the country. Only Jill Justice of Beckley, WV, at 368.78 bushels and Jay Justice, also of Beckley, WV (360.32 bushels) had more in the no till/strip till non-irrigated class.
The National Corn Growers said improved seed varieties, advanced production techniques and innovative growing practices helped corn growers achieve ever-higher yields in the 2015 contest.
David Hula of Charles City, VA. Set a new national record with a yield just over 532 bushels per acre. He competed in the no till/strip till irrigated class. Additionally, a record five national entries surpassed the 400-plus bushel per acre mark.
“The contest does more than just provide farmers an opportunity for friendly competition; it generates information that shapes future production practices across the industry,” said Brent Hostetler, chairman of NCGA’s Production and Stewardship Action Team. “The techniques contest winners first develop grow into broad advances that help farmers across the country excel in a variety of situations. Our contest emphasizes how innovation, from growers and technology providers alike, enables us to meet the growing demand for food, feed, fuel and fiber.”
File photo by Tom Rivers – Genesee Community College and Orleans Hub honored four “Heritage Heroes” on April 24 during the Civil War Encampment at GCC’s Medina campus center. The following were recognized, from right to left: Doug Miller (accepting for his wife Susan Starkweather Miller), Andrew Meier, Holly Ricci-Canham, and William Menz.
Press Release, GCC
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College is eager to recognize the efforts of dedicated citizens who work hard to preserve the county’s history. The college is seeking nominations for the third annual Orleans County Heritage Heroes Awards. Nominations will be accepted through Feb. 15.
“Residents of Orleans County take great pride in their heritage,” said Jim Simon, associate dean of GCC’s Orleans County Campus Centers in Medina and Albion. “For our third consecutive year, we want to continue to recognize the time and investment of individuals who are tireless advocates for local history.”
Nominees for Heritage Heroes Awards can be any age but posthumous nominations will not be accepted. History professionals and GCC employees are also not eligible for the award, nor are those who serve on the awards selection committees. Nominees must be Orleans County residents.
Four winners were honored last year including Holly Ricci-Canham, Susan Starkweather Miller, Andrew W. Meier and William A. Menz. Because nominations are not retained for future consideration, nominees not selected to receive awards in previous are encouraged to re-submit a nomination again for this coming year.
“Many residents from all over the county work hard on restoring historic houses and protecting other community assets, including museums and churches,” said Tom Rivers, Orleans Hub editor. “The dedicated people working to preserve these treasures deserve praise for adding to the quality of life and character of our community.”
To nominate someone for the Heritage Heroes Awards, write up a brief statement outlining the person’s contributions, projects and community affiliations. Anyone sending in a nomination should provide their name (anonymous nomination packages will not be accepted), address, phone number and email address. The more in-depth the detail provided in the nomination, the stronger the submission.
Submit the nomination to:
ATTENTION: Heritage Heroes Committee
Genesee Community College / Medina Campus Center
11470 Maple Ridge Rd.
Medina, NY 14103-9675
Nominations may also be emailed to Jim Simon at jsimon@genesee.edu. Please write Heritage Heroes Nomination in the subject line.
A screening committee made up of community members, history professionals and GCC students will review the nominations and select finalists. From those finalists, a committee including GCC Associate Dean Jim Simon, Associate Professor Derek Maxfield and Orleans Hub Editor Tom Rivers will choose the Heritage Heroes.
“We’re excited to continue these awards,” said Maxfield. “When we held the Civil War Encampment in Medina for three years, it became obvious how Orleans County values its history and embraces its preservation. These efforts often go unnoticed. This is a way to shine a light on those who make many personal sacrifices in order to preserve history for future generations.”
The Heritage Heroes will be recognized during a ceremony at GCC in Medina in April 2016.
LYNDONVILLE – After being a certified AVID site for four years, Lyndonville Central School District has achieved Highly Certified Status, the highest possible certification at the high school and middle school level.
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is a college-readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges.
At the high school and middle level, AVID students are enrolled in the school’s toughest classes, such as Advanced Placement, and receive support in an academic elective class, called AVID, taught within the school day by a trained AVID teacher.
What differentiates AVID from other educational reform programs is its astounding success rate. Of the 2013 AVID graduates, 86 percent planned to attend college; 76 percent to a four-year college. At LCSD, 100 percent of the AVID graduates have applied to a four-year college.
Director of Special Programs and Staff Development and CSE/CPSE Chairperson Anne Marie Holland said the school district is working to implement AVID into the culture of Lyndonville schools.
“This is a wonderful achievement. Thank you too all the members of our AVID site team for their hard work and dedication,” said Holland. “And thank you to Superintendent Jason Smith and the Board for their ongoing support of the system.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Provided photo – Terry Bliss has been active in the Kendall Lions Club for the past 25 years and also served as district governor in 2007-08.
KENDALL – Last week Kodak announced four $2,500 awards would go to causes led by employees world-wide. Kodak approved funds for humanitarian work in Shanghai, Brazil, Israel and Kendall.
Terry Bliss has worked for Kodak for 31 years, currently as a systems analyst in production support. He also has been a member of the Kendall Lions Club for 25 years.
He served as district governor in 2007-08, leading about 1,360 Lions Club members from Lyndonville to Walworth, and from Lake Ontario to Bolivar.
Kodak announced its second annual “Kodak Cares: Leaders in the Community Program” awards last week. The company approved $2,500 for the Kendall Lions, the only organization in the United States to receive funding.
Kodak notes that Bliss has served in leadership roles for the Lions Club, and has supported “countless community activities.”
Kodak cited one example of him loading his truck with 10,000 pairs of glasses and sending them to recycling center to be cleaned, sorted and distributed to people in developing countries.
Bliss said the Lions Clubs in six counties near Rochester collect about 85,000 pairs of glasses each year. Those glasses are taken to Ridgeway, Pa., where they are sorted by prescription and then sent to third-world countries.
Bliss remains an active leader in the Lions Club, at the local level and in the district. He is influential in training and mentoring new leaders for the Lions.
He is pleased the Kendall Lions have a successful Leo Club in the Kendall High School. The Leos will celebrate their 10th anniversary next year, and Bliss said some of the $2,500 from Kodak could be used to support the Leos.
“We want to recognize them for all the work they’ve done in the past 10 years,” Bliss said.
The Kendall Lions Club just learned about the $2,500 from Kodak last Thursday. Bliss said the club leaders are discussing how to best use the funds.
“The $2,500 is great for any organization,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing because there were four recipients and we were the only one in the U.S.”
The Kendall Lions have 64 members and expect to add two more next month. It’s the second largest club in the entire district.
NORFOLK, Va. – Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class John D. Stageman, an Albion native, was recently selected as the Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Junior Sailor of the Year for 2015.
“I’m honored to be selected and that the board recognized all the effort and hard work I put in this year,” said Stageman, who has been in the Navy for nine years and currently works in the Chaplain’s Religious Enrichment Development Operation department for Navy Region Mid-Atlantic. “I’m really grateful for the opportunity to represent my command and community.”
Stageman is a 2006 graduate of Charles D’Amico High School. His mother, Darla Stageman, resides in Albion and his father, David Stageman, lives in Rochester.
The Junior Sailor of the Year award is part of a program established in the interest of recognizing superior performance of enlisted personnel with emphasis on outstanding achievements, exemplary personal conduct and military bearing, and demonstrated initiative in the performance of duty.
In addition to recognizing outstanding performance, this program motivates personnel to strive for improvement in their assigned duties, military behavior, appearance, and leadership.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 2 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Kristina Gabalski – Sharon Smith (left), principal of the Kendall Elementary School, receives a “Friend of 4-H” award from Jennifer Wagester, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County during the organization’s annual meeting on Tuesday evening. Smith was recognized for the school’s support in hosting 4-H clubs.
KNOWLESVILLE – Local officials, Cornell Cooperative Extension staff, 4-H Leaders, volunteers and friends gathered Tuesday evening for the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension annual meeting at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
Jennifer Wagester, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, reported on 2015 highlights, which included an increase in programming for nutrition with participation in the federal Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and the addition of a nutrition educator to the staff. The Master Food Preserver program was also revived and a three-day training held during the fall.
Wagester reported the most significant increase in program enrollment was in 4-H with the addition of 84 new members, a record growth of 24 percent. She noted the 4-H program is on its way to meeting the 2016 enrollment goal of 500 youth.
The highest facility update was in the Trolley Building kitchen made possible by grant funds, the Fern Blackburn Memorial, Fair Committee, the Leaders’ Association and a concession stand hosted by staff. A fire suppression hood was installed and the range refurbished. Additionally, a three-bay sink was installed along with a commercial refrigerator.
“These positive changes occurred because our volunteers, staff, community members, and county legislators worked together to make a difference in the lives of Orleans County residents,” Wagester said.
Long-time Lake Ontario Fruit Program Team Leader Debbie Breth receives recognition in honor of her upcoming retirement from special guest, Dr. Chris Watkins, Cornell Cooperative Extension director.
Neil Johnson, right,receives the Legacy Award from Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Board of Directors President Ed Neal while Board Vice President Erin Anheier looks on.
Anheier said the Legacy Award is special as it is not given annually. She noted Johnson has served Extension and 4-H over the last 40 years in “as many capacities as possible.” She said the History of the Orleans County 4-H Fair, written by Johnson, was his most lasting and profound contribution over those years. The history provides, “Valuable insight into the past…. which would have been lost,” without Johnson’s efforts, Anheier said.
“I love 4-H,” Johnson said in accepting the award. “I couldn’t think of a better organization to give my time to.”
Stephen Kruger (left), architect, and his dad, Warren Kruger, Kendall Highway Superintendent, were honored along with Oak Orchard Concrete with Friend of Extension Awards.
All three worked with the Extension in 2015 donating time, expertise and materials to help make much needed structural repairs to the Curtis Pavilion on the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. Board of Directors member Vincent Flow of Holley made the presentation and noted the Pavilion, which was constructed decades ago, was beginning to tilt to the northeast.
Nineteen posts supporting the Pavilion were reinforced, and Flow said Oak Orchard Concrete was always very prompt with deliveries, even though they were needed sporadically throughout the project.
Through the efforts of the Krugers and Oak Orchard Concrete, Extension was able “to minimize the cost without sacrificing the quality of the job,” Flow said.
Other special awards went to Shelly Daggs, Outstanding 4-H Leader; and Sara’s Garden Center (Kathy Kepler), Friend of the Master Gardeners.
ALBION – Two photographs by Bruce Landis have won first place awards in an international competition by the Professional Photographers of America. Landis is owner of Photos by Bruce on Ridge Road.
The top photo shows Aaron Burnside, a 2015 Albion graduate, posed at a dairy farm owned by the Neal family on County House Road. That senior picture won a first place award. Judges commented about the excellent knowledge for using existing light and control of the mix of ambient and supplemental lighting.
Burnside, a four-year member and past vice president of the Albion FFA, was photographed in the one of the barns wearing his FFA jacket with several cattle in the background.
In addition, a photo of a pet dog titled “Blue Eyed Mikko” also was awarded the International First Place Award. Mikko was photographed as part of an outdoor winter photo session as the snow was actually falling and also used a mix of lighting methods.
The Siberian Husky is owned by Nick Causyn. “Blue Eyed Mikko” was taken outdoors at Bruce’s studio on Ridge Road.
Both images will be on public display January 2016 in Atlanta, Ga. at the Professional Photographers of America annual convention.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 26 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Kristina Gabalski – Ruthie Miller, Mikayla Auch, Holley Middle School/High School Principal Susan Cory, and Makenzie Ferranti are shown during a recent Board of Education meeting.
HOLLEY – Three students have been recognized by the Holley Central School Board of Education with this month’s Soaring to New Heights Award.
Eighth-graders Mikayla Auch and Ruthie Miller and 11th-grader Makenzie Ferranti received their certificates at the Nov. 16 meeting of the Board.
Mikayla runs with Ruthie, who is visually impaired, for practice, facilitating Ruthie’s participation on the school’s cross country team. Makenzie runs with Ruthie during competitions allowing Mikayla to compete.
“Ruthie doesn’t let anything slow her down,” Holley Middle School/High School Principal Susan Cory said.
The awards recognize the students for going above and beyond expectations and for lending their skills and abilities to help others. Ruthie was recognized especially for her “great spirit,” Cory said.
Board member Melissa Ierlan said she frequently sees the girls out running as part of their training. “Way to go Ruthie,” Ierlan said.
Mike Crissman and Susan Cory during the award presentation on Nov. 16.
Social Studies teacher Mike Crissman also received a Soaring to New Heights Award
for his dedication to his students and his exceptional efforts in preparing them for college and life beyond high school.
“Mr. Crissman works really hard with his students and let’s them know he believes they can do anything they set their mind to,” Cory said in presenting the award.
Board President Brenda Swanger said Mr. Crissman started his career at Holley when Swanger’s daughter was in school. “We are so proud you are here at Holley,” she said.
“You make them work hard,” Board member John Heise said of Crissman’s students, “but they also notice that you work hard.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Kirk Narburgh worked on new Hoag Library, several projects at Albion Central School
Photo by Tom Rivers – Kirk Narburgh speaks during an informational meeting last May about a $14.3 million capitol project for Albion Central School. Voters approved the project that will address numerous maintenance issues and infrastructure upgrades.
SYRACUSE An Albion native, Kirk Narburgh, is the new chief executive officer and managing partner of King + King Architects LLP. The Syracuse firm touts itself as the country’s oldest architectural firm going back five generations.
Narburgh has worked there for 27 years. He succeeds Peter King as CEO.
“Our transition planning began several years ago,” Peter King said in a news release. “Together, with the other partners, senior-leadership team and staff we are ready to lead the firm forward and continue our legacy for which King + King Architect’s has been known for over 147 years.”
Narbugh, a partner with the firm since 2001, will lead 48 full-time employees.
King + King has worked on projects in Albion, including the new Hoag Library and several building expansions and renovations at Albion Central School.
Narburgh, a registered architect and a landscape architect, has 33 years of experience in total.
“It is an honor to be a part of the King + King family, and I look forward to working with the current and next generation of partners and firm leaders,” Narburgh said.
Narburgh is also an adjunct professor at Syracuse University’s School of Architecture, where he has taught for the past 25 years. His mother, Sharon Narburgh, owns Narby’s Superette and Tackle in Carlton.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 November 2015 at 12:00 am
(Includes reporting from Syracuse University)
After war, Forrest Vosler attended classes at Syracuse
Provided photos, Syracuse University – Technical Sergeant Forrest Lee Vosler was born on July 29, 1923, in Lyndonville. He was presented the Medal of Honor on Aug. 31, 1944 in a ceremony in the Oval Office with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
SYRACUSE – A Lyndonville native who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his valor in World War II has another accomplishment: a college degree.
Forrest Vosler was posthumously awarded the degree during a ceremony at Syracuse University on Friday. Vosler attended classes at Syracuse following the war.
Vosler, a technical sergeant and U.S. Army Air Force radio operator, sustained serious injuries to his eyes, legs, and arms when the plane he was in was shot down and crashed in the North Sea.
Vosler was unable to complete his baccalaureate degree due to his combat injuries. He persisted for 17 years, dropping in and out of school, trying to earn the degree he dearly wanted, said Ray Toenniessen, an Albion native who is managing director of Development and External Relations for the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University.
“Despite being named the Army Air Force’s ‘Greatest Hero’ of World War II, Vosler’s combat injuries to his eyes made it difficult for him to study,” Toenniessen said. “He had trouble reading because he could only see shapes and shades, and required additional surgeries.”
Vosler died on Feb. 17, 1992 with his dream of a college degree not fulfilled. On Friday he joined Syracuse University’s Class of 2015.
Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud presents a diploma to Steve Vosler, son of Forrest Vosler, during a special Degree Conferral Ceremony on Friday. Dr. Karin Ruhlandt (left), dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Dr. Mike Haynie, Vice Chancellor for Veteran and Military Affairs also were part of the ceremony.
A committee through the Institute for Veterans and Military Families reviewed Vosler’s transcript and military service. The committee recommended the university award him an Associate of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts. On Friday, Chancellor Kent Syverud presented the degree to Vosler’s son, Steve Vosler.
Forrest Vosler also was recognized as this week’s “Hometown Hero” for Syracuse University and Steve and his wife Karen were recognized on the field at the football game.
Vosler was born on July 29, 1923, in Lyndonville. After graduating from Livonia High School, he enlisted in the Army Air Force where he became a radio operator. Vosler was assigned to the 358th Bombardment Squadron, 303rd Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force, in England. He was a crewmember of a B-17 Flying Fortress called the “Jersey Bounce, Jr.”
Provided photo – This World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. includes the name of Lyndonville native, Forrest L. Vosler, a technical sergeant who is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt awarded the Medal of Honor to Vosler in the Oval Office on August 31, 1944, for his actions over Bremen, Germany.
Vosler was hit twice by 20 mm shrapnel after taking the place of one of the plane’s gunners. Despite many injuries to his legs, arms and eyes, he managed to tend to the wounded tail gunner, repair the damaged radio equipment, and send a distress signal before the aircraft crashed into the North Sea, Syracuse University said.
Vosler was discharged from the Army Air Force following numerous surgeries and extended stays in nine hospitals. He matriculated at Syracuse University in the spring of 1945. While at Syracuse, he met and married his wife, Virginia Slacka Kappa Delta and a Liberal Arts graduate of the Class of 1945. They raised four children in Central New York: two sonsStephen and Jeffrey, and two daughters Sondra Fields-England and Susan Snow Bass.
Steve and Karen Vosler, center, were recognized during Saturday’s football game in Syracuse.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Barbara Waters addresses Medina High School students on Friday when she was inducted into the school’s “Wall of Distinguished Alumni.” Waters has been active in the community, owning several businesses and serving on the board for Medina Memorial Hospital. She shared about hard work, and meeting her goal of getting a college degree – at age 60.
MEDINA – High schoolers looking for inspiration for the future don’t have to look far for examples of Medina students who have been successes, pouring their lives into the local community or leaving their mark elsewhere in the country and the world.
The school has a “Wall of Distinguished Alumni” and five more graduates were inducted into that select group on Friday.
Michael Cavanagh, high school principal, said the school wants to honor alumni, promote school spirit and pride, and provide an incentive for current students.
“The people we honor today are proof that we are all capable of greatness and making a difference in society,” he told about 600 students in grades 8 through 12 during an afternoon program in the auditorium.
The school inducted Barbara Waters, Class of 1948; Lee Eick, Class of 1969; Dr. Hugh McElwee, Class of 1960; Wilford Gratrick, Class of 1930; and Edwin Caleb, Class of 1965.
Barbara Waters was first to be inducted. She graduated during an era with fewer opportunities for women. However, she would own five family businesses and became an influential leader in healthcare for the community. She built and opened the 120-bed Orchard Manor in 1972, the 24-bed Willows, the Lakewood Village Mobile Home Park, and bought and remodeled many homes.
She credited her father, Frank Balcerzak, for instilling a work ethic in his children. Barbara shared with students about how she and her twin sister, Marcia Tuohey, would work on a muck farm as teen-agers.
“It wasn’t glamorous work for two young girls but it was enough to buy clothes,” Waters said. “The lesson that hard work never hurt anybody we learned at an early age.”
She was active on the board of directors for Medina Memorial Hospital for 22 years, and was able to recruit many long-time physicians to the community.
Waters and her late husband Robert were long-time community dynamos, pushing projects in the Medina area. Mr. Waters wrote the nomination for his wife to be considered for the Wall of Distinguished Alumni before his death on July 29. Mr. Waters was inducted into the group in 2003.
His wife shared with students about her dream of going to college and earning a degree. When she graduated from high school in 1948, not many women were in college, and there wasn’t much financial aid for students.
After achieving business success, Mrs. Waters went to college at Niagara University. When she was 60, she graduated after being in classes with students ages 19 and 20.
“Everyone has a dream,” she said. “I wanted to receive a degree.”
Waters told students there are job opportunities locally. She told the girls “the glass ceiling has been cracked” and they should aim high. She told the students to cope with changes throughout life.
Bill Eick, an Orleans County legislator, accepts the award on his brother’s behalf.
“There are so many opportunities now,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to really work hard.”
Waters was the only one of the five inductees to attend the program on Friday. Two inductees are deceased and two others live across the country.
Lee Eick enjoyed a career as a successful structural engineer after earning a degree from Purdue University in 1974. He worked on projects around the world, building bridges, dams, water turbines and renovating historic properties for Ch2m Hill Companies, Ltd. He lives in Oregon and has been an influential mentor for engineers and an active church member in his community.
Lee’s brother, Bill Eick of Shelby, accepted the award on his behalf. Bill read a statement from his brother, who credited family values and a work ethic from the family’s dairy farm for helping him attain success and strive to serve others.
Dr. Hugh McElwee is a gastroenterologist in Fort Collins, Colo. He has been in practice for 43 years and has several breakthroughs in his field.
Cavanagh read a statement from McElwee who said he wasn’t the smartest student at Medina.
“I wasn’t the best at anything in high school,” McElwee said. “Patience and persistence are more important than intelligence or money.”
Edwin Caleb’s sister, Karen Larson, accepted the award on his behalf on Friday.
Edwin Caleb was born in 1947 and grew up in West Shelby. He earned a law degree in 1979 in Oregon and would serve 27 years as district attorney for Klamath County, Oregon, establishing Citizens for Safe Schools program, the Elder Abuse Task Force and the Domestic Violence Reduction Unit. He supervised the Klamath County Major Crime Team in the investigation and conviction of murderers and sex offenders.
He also was active in mentoring programs with local youth. Caleb was picked as “Citizen of the Year” in 2012 by his local newspaper for his professional and humanitarian work. He died on Jan. 29, 2015.
Wilford Gratrick earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Michigan State University and was in the ROTC program. He served as a company commander in the Army during World War II before returning to Medina in 1946.
He worked for the Medina Power and Light Company before joining the Army again in 1948. He would travel the world with the Army using his skills in nuclear technology. After he retired from the Army, he worked as a professor for four years at the University of California in Berkeley. He died in 1985 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
She credited her father, Frank Balcerzak, for instilling a work ethic in his children. Barbara shared with students about how she and her twin sister, Marcia Tuohey, would work on a muck farm as teen-agers.
