By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 June 2015 at 12:00 am
Devante Boston, 17, has been in healthcare facility after assault when he was 4
Provided photo – Mindy Cogovan, aunt of Devante Boston, presents a $1,850 check to scholarship winner Matthew Cochrane, while Devante’s great aunt Phyllis Winters looks on. Devante’s family and friends created the one-time scholarship for a Medina student pursuing a medical career. Devante would have graduated with the Class of 2015.
MEDINA – Devante Boston will turn 18 on June 13. He should have graduated with the Class of 2015 later this month.
But Devante has been hospitalized or in a healthcare facility since he was 4. He has never been able to attend school.
Devante suffered brain damage in May 2002 when David Ricks threw him against the wall. Ricks was sentenced to a maximum 20-year sentence in state prison for first-degree assault.
Ricks, now 37, is in Wyoming Correctional Facility in Attica. He could be conditionally released on July 2019.
Devante has been unable to walk or talk since the assault. He is in a healthcare facility in Buffalo and his family said he functions at about a 6-month-old’s level.
Some of his family members pushed to start BRAVE (Bringing Real Awareness to Victimization Everywhere) about 11 years ago. The group tries to advocate for victims of crimes and their families.
BRAVE and Devante’s family wanted to create the one-time scholarship this year for a member of the Class of 2015 who will study for a medical career. Matthew Cochrane is going into the field of neuroscience. He was presented the scholarship last week.
Devante’s great aunt Phyllis Winters wanted to create the scholarship and hoped to raise $1,000 from family, friends and BRAVE. They were able to give $1,850.
“I just wanted to honor Devante because I knew he wouldn’t be walking across that stage,” Winters said today.
There were eight applicants and Cochrane stood out.
“We wanted to give back to a person going into the medical field because the health care field is all that Devante knows,” Winters said.
An Albion student is a winner of a $1,000 scholarship from the GCASA Foundation Board. Carol Pritchard, center, is pictured with Kathleen Maerten (left), GCASA Foundation Board president, and Christy Zell, Selection Committee member and GCASA Board member.
The GCASA Foundation awards two $1,000 scholarships each year with a winner in both Orleans and Genesee counties. The scholarships were presented Wednesday during a luncheon at Terry Hills in Batavia.
Carol Prichard was picked the Orleans County winner. She is a senior at Albion High School where she is a member of the National Honor Society, Drama Club, Yearbook, Art Club, Latin Club, Women’s Select Chorus and Literary Magazine.
She volunteered with the Orleans County 4-H Fair as a survey assistant, the Farmers Market in Albion working as Kid’s Day “Face Painter” and Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in medina as a Kid’s Program photographer.
Carol completed a high school internship at GCASA, working in the Albion Prevention program and with Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition. Susan Starkweather-Miller, school-to-career coordinator, commented in her recommendation letter that Carol’s placement at GCASA “further cemented her interest in pursuing a degree in psychology and a career in the human service field.”
Carol’s essay described how her personal experiences and the compassion demonstrated by school guidance counselors helped her gain a clear understanding of what she wanted to do after graduating High School. Carol plans to pursue a degree in psychology at SUNY Purchase where she has been accepted.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Officer is ‘Save 1,912’ for Safariland Group
Photos by Tom Rivers – Deputy James DeFilipps is pictured with his wife Marie and their infant son Jake at the Orleans County Public Safety Building on Tuesday.
ALBION – About two months after he was shot twice while on duty, Deputy James DeFilipps held his son Jake before many in the law enforcement community and his family on Tuesday. Jake will be 1 in a few days.
“I’m very grateful he’s still here,” the deputy’s wife Marie said on Tuesday.
DeFilipps and his family are thankful that a bulletproof vest protected the deputy when he was shot twice at close range on March 21 at about 3 a.m. A bullet to the chest was blocked by the vest and left no bruise. A shot in abdomen was also stopped, but DeFilipps has a deep bruise that gunshot.
He expects he will be able to return to work in early June, working the night shift in eastern Orleans County.
DeFilipps started his career with the Holley Police Department. He has worked the night shift for the Sheriff’s Department for about a decade. Mrs. DeFilipps said her husband is eager to return to work.
“This is what he was born to do,” she said.
The family has received numerous cards from well-wishers, Mrs. DeFilipps said.
When her husband spent a few hours in Strong Memorial Hospital after being shot twice on March 21, police officers visited from the State Police, Rochester Police Department and Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, as well as officers from Orleans County.
A representative from the Safariland Group holds the plaque given to Deputy James DeFilipps on Tuesday.
Friends have dropped off food and many other kind gestures have been extended to the family. DeFilipps and his immediate family all live in Holley. His mother, Marsha, is the Holley historian.
The big community response has been humbling, said Anne Schutz, DeFilipps’s sister.
“It’s really made me believe in Holley again,” Schutz said.
Schutz remembers a few hours after her brother was shot, and asking him if he would return to road patrols.
“He said, ‘Definitely,'” Schutz said.
DeFilipps was shot twice by James Ellis, 44, of Wyoming County. Ellis allegedly pulled a handgun on an ex-girlfriend in Shelby on March 21. Ellis was then chased by police before crashing his vehicle into a telephone pole on Route 31A in Clarendon.
DeFilipps was working the east end of the county and responded to the scene in Clarendon. Police say Ellis open fired on responding officers, including DeFilipps. After DeFilipps was shot twice, he fired at Ellis, killing him.
DeFilipps was only about 10 feet away from Ellis during the shootout.
DePuty James DeFilipps is presented a plaque and other gifts from Stacey Petyak, a manufacturers representative for Safariland Group. Sheriff Scott Hess, left, also received a plaque to be displayed in the department.
A grand jury reviewed the evidence and found DeFilipps was justified in using lethal force.
Representatives from the Safariland Group, manufacturers of the bullet proof vest, presented DeFilipps and Sheriff Scott Hess with plaques noting that DeFIlipps is “Save No. 1,912” for the company. He was wearing an American Body Armor Extreme Series vest when he was shot.
Stacey Petyak, a manufacturers representative for the company, presented the plaques during the ceremony.
“It is not just about us and our armor,” she said. “It is about your heroic actions and your action of valor that you are here today and the other officers.”
The company wanted the Sheriff’s Office to have a plaque as well, noting that DeFilipps survived the gun shots.
“When you look at this you realize what you’re dealing with everyday, the good, the bad and the in between,” she said to a group of law enforcement officers.
DeFilipps also received several gifts – an embroidered hat, travel mug, gear bag and a challenge coin – noting he is “Save No. 1,912.”
Whenever there is a save due to the company’s products, the Safariland Group will shut down production at its three plants to recognize the save and read the story behind the incident with the officer, Petyak said.
She said the “Save Officers” have developed their own network, often reaching out to one another.
“These are officers who took what would be fatal blows,” Petyak said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 May 2015 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – Eric Brown, right, and his son Harrison served as starters at the Pinewood Derby in Albion in March 2014.
BATAVIA Two brothers in Carlton, who have worked together for years at a fruit farm and running an agri-tourism retail store, will be honored next week by the Iroquois Trail Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Bob and Eric Brown run Orchard Dale Fruit Farm. For more than three decades, the Brown family also ran Brown’s Berry Patch before deciding to close that retail operation this year.
Eric has been an active Scout leader. His two sons, Harrison and Jeffrey, are Boy Scouts.
The family has hosted many Scouts over the years at events at Brown’s Berry Patch, giving them wagon rides and letting them get a taste of farm life.
Bob and Eric will both be presented with “Distinguished Citizen” awards from Orleans County as part of the 40th annual Boypower dinner on May 28 at Genesee Community College.
“Bob and Eric are both being recognized for their years of community service,” said Jim McMullen, the Scout executive for the five-county Council. “They’ve done a tremendous amount to support the local economy with their businesses and they’ve boosted the quality of life in Orleans County.”
That Boypower dinner is a fundraiser for the Iroquois Trail Council. For more information, click here.
Distinguished citizens will also be honored from Genesee, Livingston, Wyoming and Niagara counties. The featured speaker will be Gale A. Buchanan, a leader in the field of scientific agricultural research and former chief scientist for the United States Department of Agriculture.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 20 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Kristina Gabalaski – Holley Middle School/High School Principal Susan Cory (middle) poses with Class of 2015 valedictorian Emily Radford (left) and salutatorian Nicole Boyle (right). Members of the Holley Class of 2015 Top Ten were honored during the School Board of Education meeting Tuesday evening with the Soaring to New Heights Awards.
HOLLEY – The Holley Central Middle School/High School was a bustle of activity Tuesday evening during the annual school budget vote. In addition to voting, several other events were held including a concert and the monthly School Board of Education meeting.
The Holley Central School Music Department held its annual chicken barbecue in the Middle School/High School Dining Hall and elementary music students presented their Band and Chorus Spring Concert.
The Holley PTSA held a free ice cream social between 4-6 p.m. in the foyer, where voting was taking place and the Scholastic Book Fair was open into the evening.
During the Board of Education meeting, Holley’s Top Ten graduating seniors were recognized with the Board’s monthly “Soaring to New Heights Award.” That recognition goes to people for giving of their time and abilities to benefit Holley schools.
Emily Radford is the valedictorian and Nicole Boyle is salutatorian. Other Top 10 include Jessica Skehan, Taylor DeSimone, Leah Baker, Tessa McArthur, Mikayla Hargreaves, Jade Underwood, Cole Quiter and Andrew Rowley.
“I’m really proud of this group,” Board President Brenda Swanger told the students. “I feel thrilled for all of you.”
Also during the meeting, Superintendent Robert D’Angelo and board members discussed the reorganization of the district’s Building and Grounds Department.
D’Angelo received permission from the Board to move the B-Shift Coordinator position out of the organizational chart and create the position of Director of Facilities.
Board member Sal DeLuca, Jr. expressed concerns that the buildings currently are “… not being taken care of as they should be taken care of,” and proposed that a Director of Facilities once hired, should have input on how the Buildings and Grounds Department is organized and run.
CORRECTION: This story has been updated. An earlier version stated that Lyndonville had a chapter of the Donate Life Club. Lyndonville doesn’t have that club, but does promote blood drives through the National Honor Society.
Kirsten Nice
LYNDONVILLE – Two Lyndonville Central School seniors – Leann Balcerzak and Kirsten Nice – will each receive $500 scholarships from UNYTS, Western New York’s only organ, eye, tissue and community blood center.
They are both members of the school’s National Honor Society which promotes blood drives with UNYTS.
Some schools have Donate Life Clubs that give students the opportunity to establish themselves as giving members of the community through the support of blood drives, organ donor registry efforts and through blood donation.
“I believe that it is very important to get involved and give back to the community in as many ways as possible,” Nice wrote in her scholarship application.
Nice plans to attend Niagara University and will be pursuing a degree in accounting.
Leann Balcerzak
“Numerous stories tell of the lives that have been saved thanks to the mission of UNYTS in Western New York,” Balcerzak wrote. “Even families that have lost loved ones can find solace in knowing that their loss can help save another family from experiencing the same pain through organ donation.”
Balcerzak will pursue a degree in pharmacy.
Headquartered in Buffalo and established in 1981, UNYTS is among the leading procurement organizations in the United States, and is the only organization of its kind nationwide to offer opportunities for organ, eye, tissue and blood donation.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Elijah Martin shakes hands with members of the Albion Board of Education during Monday night’s academic honors convocation dinner, when 33 students were recogizned for graduating with grade point averages at 90 or higher.
Each honor grad received a certificate noting their achievement.
HOLLEY – Albion Central School honored 33 students who will graduating with cumulative grade point averages at 90 percent or higher. The students and their families were treated to dinner on Monday at Hickory Ridge Country Club.
Bill Lattin, an Albion graduate and a former Albion art teacher, was picked to address the students. Lattin recently retired as county historian. He did that job for 36 years and also worked 40 years as the part-time curator at the Cobblestone Museum.
Lattin urged the students to have open minds and not let differences get in the way of their work and service.
“Don’t be rigid in your thoughts,” Lattin said. “Let your mind be expansive.”
Bill Lattin addresses the honor grads during Monday’s program.
He urged the students to take time to enjoy simple pleasures in life, which could be smelling the peonies flowers.
When Lattin worked at the Cobblestone Museum, the organization held several ribbon-cutting ceremonies for buildings that were rededicated or relocated and saved. Lattin always invited Congressman John LaFalce. There was at least one Republican on the Cobblestone Board who didn’t want to see LaFalce, a Democrat, invited to the ceremonies. But Lattin insisted the congressman be welcomed.
LaFalce attended the celebrations. In 1993, the Cobblestone Musuem tried to get the Cobblestone Universalist Church from 1834, a central point of the museum, declared a National Historic Landmark. State officials said the museum would need the support of its congressman. Lattin made a call and LaFalce backed the effort. The Cobblestone Church is the lone National Historic Landmark in the county.
“Don’t burn your bridges,” was Lattin’s advice to the students. “Don’t be afraid especially in politics to reach across the aisle. We need more of that today.”
Nita Bela, one of the honor grads, is congratulated by Michael Bonnewell, superintendent of Albion Central School.
Lattin was thanked by Margy Brown, the Board of Education president, for working with students though the years on many service learning projects.
The students were praised for their years of hard work in the classroom. Many juggled their school work with busy schedules with extracurricular activities and part-time jobs.
Kyler McQuillan is graduating number 3 in the class. He is thankful he doesn’t have to give a speech at commencement. Kyler’s advice to students: “Do your work.”
Kyler McQuillan is congratulated by his parents, Brenda and Sean McQuillan. Mrs. McQuillan presents her son with his honor cord.
Kyler often stayed up late to get his homework done and to study, often after soccer and tennis matches. He insisted on getting enough sleep so his body wouldn’t wear down.
He will major in chemical engineering at the University at Buffalo this fall. He said Albion offers rigorous courses that helped him gain acceptance at UB’s engineering program.
Kyler took advanced placement classes in calculus, chemistry and physics at Albion, classes he needed to get into the UB program.
Dyer Benjovsky kept up his grades while playing golf, hockey and tennis. He took AP classes and also earned 38 college credits while in high school.
His advice to students: “Do your homework.”
He said the honors students had a friendly rivalry, pushing each other to excel in the classroom. He is headed to UB to study aerospace engineering.
Morgan Seielstad is congratulated by Albion Board of Education members Dean Dibley, Margy Brown and Marie Snyder, left.
Students who are graduating with a cumulative grade point average at 90 percent or higher include:
Andrea Aman, Drake Arnold, Jayne Bannister, Nita Bela, Monica Benjovsky, Theodore “Dyer” Benjovsky, Alex Bison, Mallory Broda, Adryan Cheeseboro, Peiyi “Aaron” Chen, Madyson Coville, Amanda Covis, Nicholas Ettinger, Morgan Ferris, Laura Flanagan, Brittany Francis, Elijah Martin, Sara Maxon, Kyler McQuillan, Sara Millspaugh, Dakota Monno, Justice Nauden, Kellie O’Hearn, Charlyne Olick, Carol Pritchard, Cristal Quintana Aragon, Ryan Reed, Kerry Rice, Morgan Seielstad, Jacob Squicciarini, Gabriell Struble, Benjamin Vanacore and Crystal Zayac.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Sara Millspaugh leads organization with 4,000-plus members
Photos by Tom Rivers – Sara Millspaugh will serve as president of the FFA in New York in 2015-16. She has been president of the FFA chapter in Albion the past two years.
ALBION – An Albion student who has helped the Albion FFA chapter organize food drives, banquets, chicken barbecue dinners and other community service projects is the new leader of the state-wide FFA organization.
Sara Millspaugh wants to bring some of the successes from the Albion chapter to chapters throughout the state, while encouraging each student to pursue their potential through the many opportunities in FFA.
More than 1,000 FFA students gathered at Morrisville State College for the state convention from Thursday through Saturday. Millspaugh was elected the new state president on Friday.
“It’s about giving back to the organization,” Millspaugh said the Albion High School today.
She joined the FFA as a freshman. She didn’t grow up on a farm. But the FFA is more than traditional farming. The organization remains rooted in agriculture and teaching those skills, but it has transitioned to train students for leadership, community service, business and many other skills.
“I’m not the traditional FFA student,” said Millspaugh. “I didn’t come from a farm background.”
Her father Sam Millspaugh owns Sam & Sons, a construction company.
Sara Millspaugh, left, is pictured with Jayne Bannister. Both earned their Empire Degrees, the top honor in the FFA at the high school level.
The new FFA president is heading to Cornell University in the fall to major in agricultural business management.
She and the five other state officers will go to Camp Oswegatchie in the Adirondacks next week for five days to prepare for next school year.
Millspaugh believes her college schedule will be less demanding than in high school, where students have multiple classes each day while juggling sports and other activities.
Millspaugh and the five other state officers were interviewed for 2 ½ days last month in Syracuse by FFA delegates and adult advisors. Millspaugh emerged as the leading candidate for president.
She spoke to the 1,000-plus students during the closing ceremonies on Saturday.
Adam Krenning, the Albion FFA advisor, said Millspaugh has proven she is up for the challenge.
“She carries herself well and she includes everyone in what’s going on. Those are among her best qualities,” Krenning said. “She works well under pressure.”
The FFA chapter is busy throughout the year. It organizes a food drive each December that results in nearly 30,000 pounds of produce being donated by local farms and delivered to Community Action and other food pantries.
The chapter organizes a citrus sale and also puts on a mini-farm at the school where students can see livestock and farm machinery. The chapter also helps plan the annual Farmer to Neighbor dinner in Lyndonville, and runs other events and competitions. FFA members are busy today preparing for Tuesday’s chicken barbecue dinner with 1,300 meals.
“There are many passionate people in FFA,” Millspaugh said. “It’s an organization where you can discover yourself.”
She also earned her Empire Degree during the state convention and was awarded a gold in proficiency for an ag education focus. She job shadowed Krenning, and created workshops and lesson plans that she shared with some of the classes. Krenning said she would make a good ag teacher.
Jayne Bannister also earned her Empire Degree with a gold in proficiency for her beef and swine production. She raised the animals and tracked her expenses and assets with the livestock.
Bannister served as a district president this past year. Clara Stilwell, another Albion student, was picked for that post in 2015-16.
Bannister is heading to Kansas State University next year with a double major in animal science and ag education.
She would like to return to area and teach agriculture and lead an FFA program someday. Bannister said she is grateful for the opportunities in FFA, working with the local community and travelling throughout the state and making trips to the national convention in Louisville and Indianapolis.
“It has been amazing,” she said. “It has been experiences I will never forget that have shaped me.”
Millspaugh is the third Albion student elected among the top leaders of the FFA in the past decade. Anna Metcalf served as president in 2007-08 and Paige Levandowski was vice president in 2012-13.
“We have great kids that are motivated to get the most out of themselves,” Krenning said.
There are about 100 FFA chapters in the state, and Krenning said some nearby school districts may start programs. Albion students have met with some of the schools to help start FFA chapters.
“The FFA is producing great leaders for our country and state and more school districts are noticing that,” he said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Marsha Rivers – The Orleans County Youth Board honored these adults – Jeannine Larkin, Kathie Valley and Dr. Clark Godshall – during the 33rd Annual Youth Recognition Banquet at Hickory Ridge Golf and Country Club.
HOLLEY – The Orleans County Youth Board honored 20 youths for community service and, in some cases, for extraordinary efforts in their families.
The students and three adults with a long record of commitment to youths were all recognized on Thursday evening during the 33rd Annual Youth Recognition Banquet.
The Youth Board chose two honorees for the Helen Brinsmaid Professional Award, given to a paid professional “whose work exceeds normal expectations.”
Dr. Clark Godshall has been superintendent the past 16 years at the Orleans/Niagara BOCES. He has been a role model to school administrators and a strong advocate for Orleans County youths. Godshall expanded services for students with disabilities, added electives for students and boosted adult programming at BOCES.
Godshall has pushed for student achievement and academic rigor with a leadership style that is thoughtful, compassionate, empathetic and serious, the Youth Board said.
Jeannine Larkin has worked for the Orleans County Child and Family Services since 1992. For the past decade she has been a supervisor of foster care/preventive services after working as a caseworker in child protective, preventive and youth diversion services.
She oversees a staff that usually is working with 150 children receiving services in the foster care/preventive unit.
“In Jeannine’s line of work, there are no easy answers, no quick fixes, many sleepness nights, countless hours away from her own family and very few win-win situations,” the Youth Board said.
Larkin remains passionate about her job and is committed to local children.
“She is often putting the pieces together for families broken by all manner of social problems of social problems or finding a forever family for children who have suffered neglect or abuse,” the Youth Board said.
Todd Draper, a sergeant with the Medina Police Department, was the event’s keynote speaker. He is pictured with Kathie Valley, who was his fourth grade teacher.
Kathie Valley of Medina was presented with the Eileen Heye Adult Volunteer Award. Valley is a retired elementary teacher from Medina who continues to tutor students who need extra one-on-one attention.
She helps on parent conference days and evening events at the school. She looks for ways to boost parent involvement. She advocates for children by facilitating the United Way campaign at the school district. She volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, a Medina food pantry, the Festival of Lights, and at her church as a Sunday School teacher.
The Youth Board also recognized the following students for their outstanding service:
Albion: Kevin Alvarado-Rosario, Adryan Cheeseboro, Jordan Deskins and Morgan Seielstad.
Holley: Samantha Barniak, Cameron Bennage, Claudia Drechsel, Zachary Farruggia and Lucas Silvis.
Kendall: Tania Arellano, Marisa Hanlon, Taylor Kingsbury and Kellie Moore.
Lyndonville: Trevor Bentley, Rachael Kiefe and Keighlin O’Connor.
Medina: Aracely Hernandez, Abigail Maines, Jonathon Thomas and Emma Wilson.
The following joined Cindy Hurt, third from left, when she was recognized recently by the Western New York Educational Service Council. From left: Dr. Clark Godshall, superintendent of Orleans/Niagara BOCES; Board of Education member Joanne Woodside of Lockport; Cindy Hurt; Board of Education Vice President Maureen Kaus of Niagara-Wheatfield; Board of Education member Becky Albright of Wilson; and Board of Education President Keith Bond of Royalton-Hartland.
Hurt, secretary to the district superintendent of Orleans/Niagara BOCES, was recognized by the Western New York Educational Service Council during the Awards for Excellence held at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens. Mrs. Hurt shared the honor with four other support staff that were chosen by a committee from over 100 nominations.
Her boss, Dr. Clark Godshall, said he could not think of a more worthy recipient of the prestigious award.
“Cindy is the glue that keeps the District Superintendent’s office together,” Godshall said. “She is well respected, extremely organized, efficient, unflappable and sincere, all the qualities you could possibly want in a secretary and more. If we were a sports team, she would be our MVP.”
Hurt has worked for BOCES for 34 years and is a Medina resident.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Heritage Hero: Andrew Meier
Photos by Tom Rivers – Andrew Meier is pictured inside the second floor of the Robert H. Newell Building, which is now home to the law offices of Webster, Schubel and Meier. The building’s reuse and preservation is one of several reasons why Meier was awarded a “Heritage Hero” award on April 25 by Genesee Community College.
MEDINA – It was 2004 and Andrew Meier had a new law degree from Syracuse University after earning his bachelor’s at the University of Rochester.
Meier was 24 then and many of his law school friends settled into jobs at law firms in the big cities.
Meier returned to his hometown, working with David Schubel and Norris Webster at their law firm on Main Street. Meier bought a house in Middleport, renovated it and sold it.
He liked that challenge, of bringing life back into an old building.
“I love architecture and I really love old buildings,” Meier said.
The Robert H. Newell Building is now home to several different businesses and uses.
Meier had long admired the Robert H. Newell Building at 113 West Center St. The building for 86 years was home to the Robert H. Newell Shirt Factory, which manufactured custom-made shirts, including for many famous customers, including Winston Churchill and Bob Hope.
The Newell company left the historic building in 2004 and moved to Maple Ridge Road. The business closed in 2007.
The Village of Medina acquired the building after years of unpaid taxes. The three-story site had been neglected and was in disrepair. It was put up for sale in 2005, and Meier bought it. He was 25 at the time.
“It had great bones and potential,” Meier said about the building. “I knew the risks going in. It was an opportunity that came up that I could not pass up.”
He set about the task of methodically renovating and preserving the 14,000-square-foot building that opened in 1876, a site that was a hotel for its first 14 years before it becoming the Newell building.
Meier is pictured at the check-in for the Hart House, a hotel with four rooms plus two lofts for extended stays.
Meier first worked on preparing the Shirt Factory Café in part of the first floor. That business opened in September 2006 after 18 months of renovations.
Meier believed the café fit in nicely with the Newell building, given its close proximity to the Post Office and other downtown sites that are popular with the public.
“I thought it was a quality of life issue and the type of business the community needed,” Meier said. “I thought it would thrive off existing foot traffic and hopefully generate some new foot traffic.”
The café remains in operation today, with Richard Sarrero now owning and running the Shirt Factory.
Bryan DeGraw, back left, talks about mead with people on the Ale in Autumn tasting event in September in Medina. 810 Meadworks is owned by Bryan and Larissa DeGraw and their friend Morris Babcock.
While Meier was working on the space for the Shirt Factory, a yarn store and barbershop moved into storefronts at the building. Meier knew it would take many tenants, with different types of businesses, to make the building viable.
He envisioned the second floor for professional offices and he found a tenant in the law offices of Webster, Schubel and Meier. The attorneys would move from Main Street to the second floor of the Newell building.
For the third floor, Meier wanted to honor the building’s original use as a hotel. He would create the Hart House with four hotel rooms and two extended stay loft apartments. The Hart House opened in 2012. Meier owns that business which is managed by Kyle Zunner.
The building has space in the back that has hosted outdoor concerts as part of the Boiler 54 performance venue.
Dave Kimball and Dee Adams perform in August 2013 at the Boiler 54 in the back of the former R.H. Newell Shirt Factory.
“That space is one of the most awesome outdoor venues anywhere,” Meier said. “I love it.”
When the barber in the building retired last year, a meadery serving alcohol moved in. 810 Meadworks has proven a draw for people who like alcoholic drinks made by fermenting honey with water and often fruits, spices, grains and hops.
Cindy Robinson, president of the Medina Business Association, marvels at Meier’s transformation for a building that was empty a decade ago.
“He is a visionary on what’s doable in a small town,” Robinson said. “He knew it would take an eclectic mix.”
Robinson owns two historic building on Main Street. Both have been full of surprises, the same with most older historic structures, she said.
“You don’t know what’s under the dropped ceilings and the plasterboard,” she said.
Meier showed faith in the community when he invested in the Newell site, and Robinson believes that example encouraged others to take a chance on Medina, and has been a big part of the downtown revitalization the past decade.
“He was one of the original risk takers,” Robinson said. “He has been a catalyst for the downtown.”
Civil War re-enactors march down Main Street in Medina in April 2013, when the Main Street was closed to traffic for the parade. Meier and village officials have supported many heritage efforts and community projects.
Meier would join the Village Board in 2008 when he was elected as a trustee. He became mayor in 2011. He worries about neighborhood decline and rising tax rates for the Medina community. He pushed for a dissolution of the village, which failed in the public referendum in January.
“Being mayor and serving on the Village Board is a thankless job,” Robinson said. “You do it out of your hearts and your concern for the community.”
As mayor, Meier has been receptive to heritage projects in the community, most notably Genesee Community College’s Civil War Encampments the past three years. Medina closed sections of Main Street to traffic for re-enactment programs and parades.
He is active with the Orleans Renaissance Group and its effort to bring back Bent’s Hall, a three-story structure on Main Street that includes an opera house.
Meier plays the church organ at Trinity Lutheran Church and the Presbyterian Church. He heard about a Cincinnati church, Christ Episcopal Cathedral, that was dismantling an 1968 Holtkamp pipe organ with 1,800 pipes. Meier helped orchestrate bringing that organ to Trinity Lutheran, replacing a much smaller one. The relocated organ debuted on Easter.
Some of the pipes in a Holtkamp pipe organ at Trinity Lutheran Church are pictured in March while the organ was put together inside the Medina church. The organ was moved from Cincinnati.
Meier said he’s grateful to see so many people working on projects in the community, preserving the downtown and promoting many other heritage initiatives, efforts that set Medina apart.
“We got it and few other places do,” Meier about the community’s historical assets. “If you look at Buffalo, Buffalo is on a huge economic upswing right now, and it’s not because of a huge amount of new employment or because Buffalo’s economy has fundamentally changed. It’s because Buffalo has given new life to historic districts and marketing. People want to come to Buffalo. The tourism market is so much stronger in Buffalo right now because of all the preservation activities going on.”
Preservation can draw tourists, and investment, Meier said, and preservation is also the “highest form of green building out there. Building a new building requires harvesting new resources from the Earth whereas preservation is already using those resources that have been harvested and reusing them. The carbon footprint for preservation is very small compared to new builds.”
One of the rooms in the Hart House includes a picture of Bob Hope, one of the prominent customers of the former Newell company.
The older buildings are also “an art form,” Meier said.
“They will stand for centuries if water is kept from them and they are simply maintained,” he said.
Bent’s hosted wine-tastings in its basement
In regards to Bent’s, Meier said many people are working on a plan to revive the building.
“There are people toiling everyday to bring that project to life and it will come to life,” he said. “It takes a few with the vision to see the potential, and we have those people here. That project could be a real turning point for the village and put us on the same trajectory of what Buffalo is seeing now. It will be a venue unlike anywhere else.”
The Tree Board, Medina Business Association, Orleans Renaissance Group, Medina Sandstone Society and many other groups and citizens are working to better Medina.
“As a village we’ve embraced participation from the community to get projects off the ground, and let them have ownership of them,” Meier said. “There are so many people doing so many things around here.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
KNOWLESVILLE – The Office for the Aging celebrated local senior citizens today with lunch for about 150 people at the Trolley Building at the 4-H Fairgrounds, and the agency also presented recognition awards for three local seniors.
The top photo shows Meredith Minier of Albion looking over the citation she received as one of two honorees in Orleans County as “Senior of the Year.” Minier and the other winner, Sally Grout, will be invited to Albany to be recognized in the state capitol.
Minier has long been dedicated to local youths, helping to build a strong Albion PTA when her daughter Marissa was a student. Minier worked for Photos by Bruce and also is the secretary at the Albion United Methodist Church. She has volunteered at the library and the Cobblestone Society Museum.
She has been active in the Suicide Prevention Coalition, helping to raise awareness in the community for people who despair with depression. Minier’s late husband Lee, his father and Lee’s grandmother all ended their own lives.
Minier has tried to remove the stigma of suicide and connect people with resources to get them through difficult times.
Sally Grout
Sally Grout is a retired nurse who worked at the former Arnold Gregory Memorial Hospital in Albion, and then for Dr. David Meza before spending 22 years as school nurse at Medina Central School.
Since she retired in 2004, she has volunteered as a nurse for the Care Net Pregnancy and Family Center of Greater Orleans in Albion.
She has attended church mission trips to Romania, serving children in orphanages. She is active at the Hartland Bible Church, and she also volunteers in an equestrian program that offers therapeutic riding.
Sen. Robert Ortt (left) and Melissa Blanar (right), director of the Office for the Aging, also recognized Karl Kast as the agency’s volunteer of the year.
Kast, a retired postal worker, helps collate the “Friendly Carrier,” the OFA newsletter that is mailed to 2,200 people. Kast has recruited other volunteers for the task.
“He is a generous and kind person with a great sense of humor,” Blanar said.
Ortt, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and three county legislators – David Callard, John DeFillipps and Don Allport – all attended the event this afternoon honoring local senior citizens as part of “Older Americans Month.”
County Legislature Chairman David Callard addresses the group of senior citizens today during a luncheon at the Trolly Building.
Ortt said the month should be named, “Wiser Americans Month.” He thanked the many volunteers who serve senior citizens, especially the Meals on Wheels drivers.
“You’re not just delivering a meal,” Ortt said. “You’re often the only person they see that day. You’re helping to keep them in their homes.”
Callard, chairman of the Legislature, thanked the seniors for their years of service and contributions to the community.
“You’re the backbone of Orleans County and senior citizens are the backbone of this country,” Callard said.
Gary Deiboldt played the keyboards and Joe Sacco sang and played the saxophone during today’s event.
Provided photos – Dr. David Voss, left, is pictured with Jim Simon, dean of the campus centers in Albion and Medina.
Press Release, GCC
The Albion and Medina Campus Centers of Genesee Community College are pleased to announce the Spring 2015 Students and Instructors of the Semester.
Each semester, one student and one instructor at each campus center are awarded the honor for outstanding academic or teaching performance.
Dr. David Voss has been selected as the instructor of the semester at the Medina Campus for the Spring 2015 semester. He teaches Chemistry at the Medina Campus, and also teaches at Medina High School and SUNY Buffalo’s Post Baccalaureate Program. David received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a PhD in Bioinorganic Chemistry at the University of Buffalo.
Dave feels most rewarded as a teacher when he watches a student realize that they can do something they thought they were not capable of doing. When asked what he likes about working at GCC, Dave replied, “It is a great place to continue your education – a place with a supportive staff and faculty fully invested in seeing their students succeed.”
His advice to new instructors is to love what you do and love your kids!
He was nominated by multiple students because he cares about his students and is always willing to work with them, even if it means coming in early or staying late. They also like that he always answers their questions to the best of his ability and that “his puns are so corny that they are funny.”
In his personal time, Dave enjoys sports and reading. He states the best book he ever read was “Napoleon’s Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed the World.” He also enjoys watching the television series “Mad Men.” He is married with four children, a dog and a cat.
Melissa Ostrom
Melissa Ostrom has been selected as the instructor of the semester at the Albion Campus Center. She teaches English Composition at the Albion Campus. Melissa has a Master of Arts in English from Middlebury College and a Secondary English Education Certification from SUNY Fredonia. She currently works with teachers as a public school curriculum consultant and previously was an English teacher at Kendall High School.
Students appreciate Melissa’s positive attitude and her willingness to help students. The student who nominated her said, “She helped me understand the material and she is very bubbly. She does not seem to get annoyed at anything or anyone.”
She is married with two children and her hobbies include cooking, writing fiction and making pottery. Melissa’s advice to new instructors is “Be kind; this does not mean lenient or inordinately flexible but every student can benefit from an instructor’s kindness.”
Keith McKinney
Keith McKinney has been selected as the student of the semester at the Medina Campus. Keith is currently a General Studies major with plans to transfer to either UB or Brockport to obtain his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History.
Prior to GCC, Keith served in the US Army as a Legacy Leader. While in the Army, Keith was honored with numerous military awards and decorations. Once he retired, he decided to attend GCC and become a history teacher.
When asked what he likes most about his college experience thus far, he commented that he thoroughly enjoys learning new ideas, differences in cultures and opinions, and the opportunity to openly discuss such subjects.
Keith is a very generous and giving person, as expressed by the instructor who nominated him as our student of the semester. Her comments are echoed by other faculty, students and staff.
Keith volunteers and participates in many activities everywhere he goes. Keith shared that the major influences in his life include his family, friends, as well his GCC instructors and staff. When asked if he had any advice for new college students, he said “Be open to new ideas and challenges.”
Keith’s long-term goal is to teach at GCC.
Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore has been selected as the student of the semester at the Albion Campus for the Spring 2015 semester. She is a full-time student majoring in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Studies.
Mandy is consistently on the President’s List and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. She is graduating from GCC in May and will continue her education in the fall at SUNY Brockport where she will pursue a degree in Social Work.
Instructors who nominated Mandy noted her academic achievement and exceptional work ethic. One instructor stated, “She comes to class prepared, focused and ready to learn. She is a role model for fellow students.”
Mandy advises new students to make sure to schedule due dates in advance so you have plenty of time to study and complete assignments. Mandy interns with Susyn Tillman at “All About U” counseling and the Parenting Program through the Ministry of Concern.
Mandy lives in Lyndonville and enjoys spending time with her daughter and going for walks with her family.
Provided photo – Two Albion elementary students, Lucy Rivers (left) and Leah Kania, both won first place in the grades 3 to 5 category in the recent poetry contest. They are pictured at Bindings Bookstore in Albion.
The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council teamed with two local bookstores for a student poetry contest in April, which is National Poetry Month.
The contest was open to all students between kindergarten and college levels. In Orleans, no one entered at the high school or college levels.
Prizes and certificates were awarded in grade-grouped categories.
The following were award winners in Orleans County:
Grades K-2
First Place: Abigail Worsley for “Angels”
Honorable Mention: Logan Poupore for “April”
Grades 3-5
First Place: Leah Kania for “Snow”
First Place: Lucy Rivers for “Sharing My Room”
Honorable Mention: Ayesha Way for ” I Got a Pet”
Grades 6-8
First Place: Annabella Salisbury for “Life” and “Choices”
First Place: Nate Sherman for “Science Fair”
Honorable Mention: Jordan Lugo for “My Demon”
Honorable Mention: Jenny Benton for “Lay Your Head Down, Darling”
Provided photos – Ceil Feldman, a Hospice volunteer for more than 20 years, received a “gag” gift of a bag of flour in recognition of many gifts of baked goods to the staff and volunteers.
ALBION – Hospice of Orleans honored volunteers and supporters who serve the agency during a recognition banquet and annual meeting last week.
Don Algeo received Hospice’s Volunteer of the Year Award.
“Don is always willing to help,” said Volunteer Coordinator Christine Fancher. “He volunteers at the Residence four or more hours a week and goes to a patient’s home and prepares meals twice a week.” Algeo also serves on the Hospice of Orleans Board of Directors.
Jerome Pawlak received the Mary Janet Sahukar Award, named for Hospice of Orleans’ founding director. The award recognizes a community member who understands, embraces and supports the organization’s mission in sacrificial ways.
“Jerome always says ‘yes’ when we ask if we can sell bouquets at his Save-A-Lot Stores or ask for any other assistance,” said Mary Anne Fischer, Hospice executive director, as she presented the award.
Pawlak told the group that his father had been a supporter of Hospice since its inception and that he is proud to carry on that tradition.
Merrill Grinnell Funeral Home received the Hospice Business/Civic Award for its role in developing and supporting the Classic Car Show for the past two years.
Don Algeo was named “Volunteer of the Year” for Hospice of Orleans.
A Special Recognition Award was presented to Leonard Oakes Estate Winery for their many contributions to fundraising for Hospice. Wendy Wilson accepted the award for the Winery.
Her voice filled with emotion, as she said “I can’t thank Hospice enough for taking care of one of our long time, much loved employees this past year. Two of our employees are receiving services now. Hospice staff has been incredible! Hospice has been near and dear to our family and we are happy to support them in any way we can.”
John Girvin was honored for completion of his term on the Hospice of Orleans Board of Directors.
Lynn Short, former owner of Arjuna Florist, and Pamela Reamer, professor of Nursing at SUNY Brockport, were elected to serve two-year terms on the Board of Directors. The Board had previously elected Dennis Piedimonte, owner of JP’s Farm Market in Holley, to a three-year term.
Fischer applauded the work of the Hospice volunteers and reported that in 2014, more than 150 volunteers contributed over 6,800 hours to the Hospice mission of providing comfort, compassion and expertise to Orleans County residents facing serious illness. She attributed a cost savings of over $110,000 last year to volunteer involvement.
“Our mission would be impossible without you – our volunteers,” she told about 100 people at the Medina United Methodist Church.
In her remarks she pointed out some concerning trends in utilization of Hospice services.
“While 75 percent of those referred were admitted to care, 31 percent reached out to us too late,” she said. “Most people are admitted to Hospice services on the same day or within 24 hours of a referral. Clearly, more people could benefit from Hospice services if they were referred earlier.”
Jerome Pawlak is pictured with Mary Anne Fischer, Hospice executive director, after Pawlak received the Mary Janet Sahukar Award, named for the founding director of Hospice in Orleans County.
Fischer called on Hospice volunteers and supporters to help educate our community.
“Hospice is not about giving up on your loved one,” she said. “It is about giving to them.”
She cited a new study that shows that hospice care not only improves the quality of life but also the length of life.
“On average, patients lived 29 days longer on hospice than those with the same disease who didn’t have hospice services,” she said.
In her remarks, Fischer noted that it was of concern that in 2014, “14 percent of those referred, but not admitted, to hospice care were routed to futile efforts at rehabilitation in nursing homes where they subsequently died.”
She also cautioned that the community needs to be wary of the recent push to legalize physician assisted suicide.
“I could talk at length on this topic, but the important point I want to make is that Hospice is the answer,” she said. “Hospice is the answer for anyone who is contemplating ending their life because of a terminal health issue make sure your loved ones and friends know how important the hospice choice is.”
Fischer detailed key accomplishments of 2014, including implementing changes in employee medical and dental coverage, evaluation of the agency’s cost structure and saving over $350 in postage alone with increased use of email and online volunteer scheduling.
John Girvin was recognized for his service on the Hospice of Orleans Board of Directors.
Finance Director Joel Allen reviewed the 2014 Budget Expenses for the agency and pointed out that more than 90 percent of the expenses billed for patient services go to direct patient care. He noted that patient costs for the Martin-Linsin Residence are in line with budget projections. While there has been a slight decrease in home care, all other expenses and revenue projections were on target for 2014.
Nyla Gaylord, director of Development and Community Relations, reported on past and upcoming events and thanked Wendy Wilson of Leonard Oakes Estate Winery for her support in initiating a new fundraising event at the Winery, “Beat the Winter Blues.” Gaylord noted that in the future Hospice will be producing a screening tool “What Help Do You Need?” to better assist people to identify the need for in-home support, palliative care and hospice services.
The agency will continue to look for new opportunities to raise funds through events and grant seeking, as well as promoting new financial giving options that fall outside of probate and wills, Gaylord said.
Agency priorities for 2015 include implementing the new Pet Peace of Mind program, strengthening the infrastructure of the agency to ensure its long-term viability, investigating a group purchasing program with other area hospice programs, and continuing to educate the community about the benefits of hospice.
