By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – A family with a Girl Scouting tradition was recognized Thursday during the “Court of Awards.” The Sidari and Ricker families have three generations involved in Girl Scouts. They include, from left: Kelly Ricker, Laiken Ricker and Carolyn Sidari.
ALBION – Forty-five years ago Carolyn Sidari joined a Girl Scout troop in Barre Center. Twenty years later, as a young mother, she would lead a Brownie Troop of 25 girls.
Sidari’s daughter Kelly Ricker has followed the Girl Scouting path for 35 years, volunteering as the Cobblestone service unit manager, which includes Scouts in the Albion area. Ricker has been a troop leader and outdoor program specialist.
Her 10-year-old daughter Laiken has been in the program for five years. All three of the Sidari-Ricker ladies were honored Thursday during the “Court of Awards” at the Elks’ Lodge. The Scouting program recognizes Scouts and adult volunteers for every five-year milestone in the program.
Sidari continues to help with the program, especially with the annual cake auction. She said Scouts has been good for her family and the community.
“I love the girls, that’s the main reason,” she said about her involvement.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Alison O’Hearn, a senior at Albion, will serve as Strawberry Festival queen during the June 7-8 event.
ALBION – The queen for next weekend’s Strawberry Festival is feeling a mix of emotions as she prepares to graduate from high school and begin college.
Alison O’Hearn, 18, was selected as queen after writing an essay about Albion. She has been active in the school as an honors student involved in sports and other activities, including vice president of FFA.
She will study biology at Grove City College beginning in the fall.
“I’m feeling sentimental,” she said about Albion. “For such a small school and small town we have so much to offer and so much going on. We have a lot of people who genuinely care about the community.”
O’Hearn will ride in the 10 a.m. parade on June 8 and will also help with the 2 p.m. turtle race in the canal, as well as performing other ceremonial duties during the festival.
Gabrielle Vagg, a sophomore at Albion, designed the poster that will be used to promote the Strawberry Festival. The festival is in its 27th year and features a canal theme this year.
An Albion student, Gabrielle Vagg, designed the poster that will be used to promote the 27th annual festival, featuring a canal theme this year. Vagg, a sophomore, highlighted the bridge collapse from Sept. 28, 1859.
That day more than 250 people crowded on the Main Street bridge over the canal to watch a wirewalker. The bridge couldn’t take the weight and collapsed. Fifteen people drowned and the calamity is noted with a historic marker on a patch of grass just west of the Main Street Lift Bridge.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Pictured, from left: Rotarian Chris Haines, Alessaundra Rivera, Christopher Reed, Brooke Bensley and Rotarian Bonnie Malakie.
The Albion Rotary Club awarded $2,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors this year. The scholarship winners attended today’s Rotary Club meeting at The Village Inn.
Brooke Bensley won the Dick Eddy “Service Above Self” Scholarship, a $1,250 award that is given to a student committed to community service and leadership, and who displays high potential for future accomplishment. Brooke will major in business this fall at St. Bonaventure University.
Christopher Reed won the $500 Edward Archbald Memorial Scholarship, given to a senior who shares Archbald’s love of sports, recreational activities, community service and work experience. Christopher plans to major in engineering and science at Monroe Community College.
Alessaundra Rivera was awarded the $250 Rotary Career Advancement Prize for a senior committed to community service, school activities and work experience. Alessaundra plays to study business administration at MCC.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Photos courtesy of Thom Jennings – Thom Jennings and his son Thom Jr. both ran the Buffalo Half Marathon on Sunday, finishing the 13.1-mile course in 2 hours, 11 minutes.
ALBION – It started as a bet. Who could lose the most weight?
Thom Jennings and his two brothers-in-law had a friendly competition last year. Jennings won, losing 100 pounds through better nutrition and exercise.
This year he wanted a new goal. He set out to run a marathon. He wanted to train for the 26.2-mile race by running with his 24-year-old son, Thom Jr. The two have run five races together, with Sunday’s half marathon in Buffalo their biggest race so far. They crossed the finish line together in 2 hours, 11 minutes. There were 6,000 runners on the course.
“It was a great experience,” said Jennings, 46, of Albion. “Running has an incredible cross section of people.”
Jennings has used running to stay fit. He said he has far more energy and zest for life as a slimmer person. He works as social worker in Niagara County. He also writes music reviews and features part-time, and is a lead singer for a local band.
His son, 24, has lost more than 50 pounds since getting serious about exercise in November. Thom Jr. works for an advertising company in Buffalo. He is engaged to Erica Graham of Albion.
“I was never into running,” Thom Jr. said “But running on the streets of Buffalo, through the first ward and past the grain mills, was such an adrenaline rush. When you’re running with thousands of other people, you’re high on life.”
The father and son are pictured in May 2011, when Thom Jr. graduated from college.
The two plan to run the June 8 Strawberry Festival race together, choosing the longer 8-kilometer distance, rather than the 5k.
“It’s one thing to have the goal of losing weight, but we’ve tried to make it fun,” Thom Jr. said.
The father and son want to run a fall marathon together. Then they’re thinking about trying an ironman event, which includes running, swimming and biking.
BATAVIA, NY (05/28/2013)(readMedia)– An inspirational instructor and a high-achieving student are being honored for their academic and teaching performances during Spring 2013 at the Albion Campus Center of Genesee Community College. The honorees are selected based on nominations from instructors and students.
Instructor of the Semester at Albion is Mary Vanderzell of Rochester. Mary teaches English Composition courses as well as Children’s Literature and has worked at the Albion campus since 2011. Mary received numerous student nominations. Nominated by one as the “world’s best English teacher”, Mary is passionate about her work and makes every effort to ensure the success of each of her students.
Student of the Semester at Albion is Carmela Allen of Waterport. A non-traditional student in GCC’s Computer Support and Operations AAS degree program, Carmela holds a 4.0 GPA average. Noted for being someone who is “very unassuming in her talents, but is very talented indeed”, Carmela is steadfast and goal-driven and doesn’t let distractions get in her way. Her instructors believe she is completely deserving of this recognition.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Sarah Handley is congratulated by Kendall Board of Education President Nadine Hanlon for being one of Kendall’s “Top 10” graduates. Julie Christensen, Kendall’s school superintendent, is at right.
Medina student Arden Zavitz and other Top 10 graduates are congratulated Thursday for their academic success.
HOLLEY – The world will soon get bigger for the top 10 graduates at four Orleans County school districts. Most of the group of 40 students will be off to college in the fall.
They will face new challenges, meet new people and be stretched by the experiences, a top 10 graduate from 2003 told the group.
Jenna Gaesser of Kendall has graduated with a medical degree from the Upstate Medical University in Syracuse and is now in a residency program in pediatrics and neurodevelopmental disabilities at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Gaesser told students they don’t have to do everything on their own, to try to control every situation. She encouraged them to ask for help. In medical school, she learned the value of teamwork and to value others’ points of view.
Jenna Gaesser, a 2003 Kendall graduate, has already graduated with a medical degree and is now in a residency program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She was keynote speaker during Thursday’s academic excellence awards dinner.
In college, she spent three years caring for a child with multiple disabilities. That child used a computer to speak.
“Everywhere we went we got strange looks,” Gaesser said.
The child had a delightful spirit, and soon won over everyone. Gaesser told the group of students to remember “the importance of not judging other people.”
Gaesser spoke to about 200 people at Hickory Ridge Country Club. Lyndonville students Amanda Sullivan and Joy Follman said they appreciated that Gaesser acknowledged the pressures that students face in picking a college and pursuing a career.
“We’re all worried about what the future will bring so it’s comforting to know you can get through it,” Follman said. “It was a hopeful speech.”
The students all received certificates, medals and citations, as well as dinner with their parents.
Three Lyndonville students stand after receiving their awards from school officials. The group includes, from left: Thomas Goetze, Dakota Froman and Joy Follman.
“It’s nice to get the recognition because we’ve all worked really hard to get to the top,” Sullivan said.
Orleans County school districts have been honoring the top 10 graduates for 27 years. Albion the past five years has had its own honors convocation because it wanted to honor more than the top 10. Albion expanded it to graduates with grade point averages above 90. The four other districts want to stay in the joint program.
“It’s a good idea for the county schools to get together,” said Jeff Evoy, Medina school superintendent. “It’s nice for the kids to see where the kids are going from the other schools.”
Kendall was the host district this year. School leaders reached out to Gaesser to address the group. She is the daughter of Ed Gaesser, a member of the Board of Education. Carol D’Agostino, Kendall’s high school principal, said Jenna “is a great role model for all of our students.”
Gaesser, Kendall’s salutatorian in 2003, was happy to accept the invitation on Thursday.
“You want to come back and support the community that supports you,” she said.
Heather Fumia accepts an award from Robert D’Angelo, Holley school superintendent, during the 27th annual Orleans County academic excellence awards dinner.
The top 10 recognized from each school include:
Holley: Marissa Callahan, Samuel DeFilipps, Steven Dill, Heather Fumia, Joshua Hatfield, Shannon Kelly, Starlyt Knight, Sonia Mendoza, Alyssa Scherer and Nicholas Winkley.
Lyndonville: Molly Breese, Elisabeth Follman, Joy Follman, Dakota Froman, Thomas Goetze, Alexandra Harling, James Luckman Jr., Kyle Sentiff, Edward Silversmith Jr. and Amanda Sullivan.
Medina: Maeve Cooper, Olivia Doberstein, Troy Fidanza, Jonas Hartway, Christopher Horgan, Margaret Laszewski, Joseph Meyer, Zachary Roeseler, Jessica Rosenbeck, Zachary Waild and Arden Zavitz.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Mary Martin was named an outstanding lead by the Rochester Broadway Theatre League for her performance as Belle.
Mary Martin helps “The Beast,” played by William Grimble, during Albion’s production of “Beauty and the Beast.”
ALBION – Mary Martin will have one last chance on the stage as a high schooler before she heads to Niagara University this fall to join that school’s theater program.
Martin, a senior at Albion, is among 16 female leads from a nine-county area who will perform May 23 at the Auditorium Theatre in Rochester. That 7 to 9:30 p.m. event that also features the top 16 male leads.
The winning female and male will represent the Rochester region in the fifth annual National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City.
Martin is performing May 23 after being picked a top female lead for her performance as Belle in Albion’s production of “Beauty and the Beast.” She also was a top female lead in the Rochester Broadway Theatre League’s “Stars of Tomorrow” program last year for her performance as Maria Rainer in “The Sound of Music.”
Gary Simboli, Albion’s musical director, said it is very rare for a student to be awarded a top female or male lead two years in a row in the Stars program.
“If you look at a bell curve, she is really on the far end of the bell curve,” Simboli said. “She continues to work on her craft. She has a lot of dedication.”
Martin also is among the “Fan Favorites” listed in the Stars program. That on-line voting contest will award the student with the most votes the title of “Fan Favorite” and also four VIP seats to the opening night of “GHOST The Musical” on Oct. 8.
On the contest’s Web site, Martin thanks Simboli, other musical and band teachers, and her fellow cast members:
“The past four years have gone by so quickly! I can hardly believe that I am about to go on to college to pursue performing arts,” Martin writes. “I was honored to be given the part as Belle and I would like to say that I have never in my whole life worked with such an AMAZING and talented cast. I love you all and I will miss you! Mr. Simboli and Mr. Thaine, what would I do without you?! Mrs. Winans, Mrs. Berg and Mrs. Pettit, thank you for being so patient with me! I wish all of you every happiness.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Shelby tops in Orleans for fire, Ridgeway leads for EMS
Photos by Tom Rivers – Shelby Volunteer Fire Company Chief Jason Watts, left, and Francis Woodward, the second assistant chief for the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company, hold the awards after Shelby was honored for the most fire training hours and Ridgeway for the most EMS training in 2012-13.
EAST SHELBY – John Miller II says knowledge is power, and often can make a life-saving difference.
The Shelby volunteer firefighter for each of the past two years has led Orleans County in fire and EMS training hours. He completed 279 hours in 2012-13, with 199 in EMS and 80 in fire. The previous year, Miller racked up 176 hours of training.
“It pays to train,” he said Friday night after the annual training recognition banquet for firefighters. “It makes sure we’re ready to do the job for the community.”
Miller worked as a truck driver before being hired last year as an EMT for Mercy EMS in Batavia.
“Every bit of knowledge you can gain gives you an upper hand in a critical moment when it’s needed,” Miller said at the recognition dinner at East Shelby Fire Hall.
Four other firefighters topped 200 hours in training: Glen Busch II of Ridgeway, 202; Daniel Gleason of Albion, 204; Nicolas Elliott of Barre, 217; and Jordan Willis of Kendall, 228. The 200-hour-plus firefighters are recognized on a plaque at the Emergency Management Office on County House Road in Albion.
Five Orleans County firefighters were recognized for topping 200 hours of training, including from left: John L. Miller II of Shelby, Dan Gleason of Albion and Nicolas Elliott of Barre. Glen Busch II of Ridgeway and Jordan Willis of Kendall also exceeded 200 hours.
The county also recognized the Shelby Volunteer Fire Company for amassing the most fire training hours with 1,081. Ridgeway led all fire departments with its 994 hours of EMS training. Those departments also will be highlighted on a plaque at the EMO and the County Legislature chambers.
Ridgeway had five firefighters complete the 190-hour EMT course, with two others taking the 72-hour refresher class.
“People want to take training to keep up with their skills,” said Francis Woodward, Ridgeway’s second assistant chief.
Altogether, firefighters in the county completed 4,528 hours of fire training and 4,101 hours of EMS. Firefighters can train to battle fires, do vehicle extrication drills, and provide EMS. But they faced many events last year beyond the norm, including wind storms and a sinkhole in Albion last July caused by a breach in the Erie Canal.
There isn’t a “tree-cutting” course offering or a “dam broke” course, said Paul Wagner, the county’s emergency management director. He praised firefighters for their response to those and other emergencies throughout the year.
“It’s because of your folks’ diversity to be handle these things that we’re able to get through them mostly unscathed,” Wagner said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Medina resident was first woman to serve as mayor, legislator
Courtesy of State Sen. George Maziarz’s office – State Sen. George Maziarz stands with Marcia Tuohey in Albany on Tuesday when she was recognized as a “Woman of Distinction.”
MEDINA – Marcia Tuohey, the first woman to serve as Medina’s mayor and then chairwoman of the Orleans County Legislature, was recognized in Albany as a “Woman of Distinction.”
Tuohey was nominated for the award by state Sen. George Maziarz, who picked her from his district that also includes a portion of Monroe County and nearly all of Niagara.
“Marcia has been a mainstay in business and government in Orleans County for many years,” Maziarz said.“More that than though, she’s been a trailblazer for women who want to take an active role in improving their communities. She has worn many hats – literally and figuratively – but today our hats are off to her.”
Tuohey often appears at public events in stylish hats. She currently represents Orleans County on the board of directors for Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. She also is a member of Medina’s Planning Board.
Before she ran for the Village Board, she enjoyed an active business career in Medina for 30 years as the co-owner and operator of a nursing home, motel and restaurant, mobile home park, and rental properties.Her success can be attributed to a great aptitude for recognizing and meeting the needs of the community, and possessing a strong work ethic, Maziarz said.
Tuohey was first elected as a trustee in Medina in 1979, and in 1982 she became the village’s first woman mayor.In 1990, she became Orleans County’s first female county legislator, and then was picked by her peers on the seven-member body to serve as chairman of the Legislature from 1996 until 2006.
Maziarz said Tuohey’s “forceful advocacy and close supervision” pushed several projects along in the county, including renovations to the historic Courthouse and County Clerks buildings, an addition to the County Nursing Home, and the creation of a new Public Safety Center and Fire Training Facility.
During her time in office, Tuohey also helped lay the groundwork for the expansion of Genesee Community College in Orleans County and the construction of an ethanol plant in the Town of Shelby, Maziarz said.
Tuohey was honored at a reception in Albany on Tuesday, where her photograph and biography were on display during a special public exhibit at the Legislative Office Building.
The Senate’s “Woman of Distinction” program was created in 1998 to honor women who exemplify personal excellence, or whose professional achievements or acts of courage, selflessness, integrity or perseverance serve as an example to all New Yorkers.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Albion girl is serving in role for Masonic Lodge in WNY
Photo by Tom Rivers – Samantha Hollenbeck, 13, of Albion is serving as beloved queen in Western New York for the Masonic Lodge. She is the youngest queen ever for Masonic Lodge in WNY.
ALBION – Samantha Hollenbeck, 13, of Albion will spend at least the next year as “beloved queen” of the Triangle program, the youth component of the Masonic Lodge. She is the youngest queen ever for a district that includes about 50 lodges in Western New York.
She could continue in the role after this year if a successor isn’t chosen. Local residents can expect to see her in parades and community events, touting the Masonic Lodge, and its youth programs for boys and girls. She also has made raising money for breast cancer awareness and research, her chosen charity for the year.
“I know people affected by it,” she said Tuesday at her home on Ingersoll Street.
The seventh-grader will be selling popcorn and flowers, washing cars and participating in “Relay for Life” events to raise money for breast cancer research.
She will travel the state in her role as beloved queen, attending Masonic lodges and their events.
Courtesy of Hollenbeck family – Samantha Hollenbeck was installed as beloved queen last month for the Triangle, the youth organization for girls in the Masonic Lodge. She is pictured with her parents, Brian and Dawn Hollenbeck.
Samantha, a cheerleader and member of the National Junior Honor Society, also will lead meetings of the Triangle group sponsored by the Lockport lodge. (Albion doesn’t have a Triangle program.) The group meets every other Saturday at the Akron lodge.
“She is well-grounded and mature for her age,” said her father Brian Hollenbeck, a Mason in Albion the past 12 years. He and his wife Dawn are supervisors for the Triangle.
Samantha joined the Triangle three years ago and established friendships with the other girls, while memorizing the different rituals that are part of the meetings.
She wants to see the group work hard for the community, and also have fun. This summer she is planning social events with the Triangle girls and the DeMolays, the boys youth program. They will play laser tag, go to the aquarium in Niagara Falls and the zoo.
Samantha said the youth groups typically take the summer off, but she wants them to stay connected in July and August.
The Hollenbecks are active members of the Masons. Mr. Hollenbeck first joined in Albion. His wife recently became a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, a Masonic organization for women. The couple has 14 children.
Their son Matthew, 25, is a Mason in Albion. He is currently stationed in Seattle with the U.S. Army. Nicholas, 23, is a past leader of the DeMolays youth group, which is based in Albion. Andrew, 16, is currently in the DeMolays Charity Lodge.
Two of Samantha’s younger brothers – Thomas and Conner – will join the program next year.
“We’ve never forced any of our kids to do it,” Mr. Hollenbeck said. “They see the good we do and the fun we have and the friends we make. We’re trying to make a difference in the community and in ourselves.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Jim Hancock and Jean Shervin named ‘outstanding seniors’
Courtesy of State Sen. George Maziarz – State Sen. George Maziarz welcomed two Orleans County senior citizens to Albany on Tuesday when they and other “outstanding seniors” from throughout the state were honored in the state capitol during “Senior Recognition Day.” Jim Hancock, left, and Jean Shervin, second from right, were picked as representatives from Orleans for the award. They traveled to the capital with Orleans County Office for the Aging Director Melissa Blanar, right.
They have been tireless volunteers for many causes in Orleans County. Both Jim Hancock of Medina and Jean Shervin can be counted on to pitch in for many community projects.
They have been declared “Seniors of the Year” in Orleans County, and were recognized Tuesday in the state capitol as “outstanding seniors.”
Shervin volunteers at local blood drives for the Red Cross, serves with Hospice of Orleans County, and is active in many local organizations, including The Salvation Army, Community Action, Catholic Daughters, St. Vincent de Paul, the Albion Alumni Foundation, Office for the Aging, Holy Family Church and other community work.
Hancock is retired as director of the Job Development Agency in Orleans County. He volunteers with the Medina Sandstone Society, the Medina Tourism Committee and Canal Task Force, United Way of Orleans County, Medina Lions Club, Medina’s Parade of Lights, as well as other projects.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Couple presented with honorary Empire Degree during state convention in Albion
Photo by Tom Rivers – LaVerne and Beatrice Eick, front center, are surrounded by family members who either attained Empire Degrees or who are working towards attaining the highest honor for students at the state level. In back, from left: Abigail Maines, Alexis Maines, and Empire degree winners Todd, Bill, Ken and Adam Eick.
ALBION – While they were running a dairy farm in Shelby, LaVerne and Beatrice Eick also insisted their children be involved in the Medina FFA chapter, and push themselves to excel in the program.
Their sons, Bill and Ken, both earned Empire degrees, the highest honor an FFA student can attain in the state. Three of Ken’s children – Adam, Karen and Andy – went on to earn Empire Degrees while Bill’s son Todd also attained the honor.
Todd is now advisor of the Medina FFA, which will host the state convention next year. His daughters Abigail and Alexa Maines are active members of the Albion FFA.
“It’s in our roots,” said Adam Eick, a senior at Medina and the most recent family member to earn the degree. “We had it instilled in us with grandma and grandpa and it trickled down to their children and grandchildren.”
FFA today recognized LaVerne and Beatrice for fostering a commitment and love for FFA among their family members. The couple was awarded an honorary Empire Degree in front of more than 1,000 people in the middle school auditorium.
FFA gives honorary degrees to parents or grandparents with at least three children or grandchildren who earned Empires.
Adam said his grandparents have also shown a love for family, agriculture and community.
“I couldn’t have asked for better grandparents,” he said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Albion, Lyndonville and Medina students all honored
Photo by Tom Rivers – Albion High School students earned an outstanding dance ensemble award from the Rochester Broadway Theatre League in Albion’s performance of Beauty and the Beast.
ROCHESTER – The Albion and Lyndonville drama departments took home many honors Thursday night for singing, dancing and acting in the annual “Stars of Tomorrow” program through the Rochester Broadway Theatre League.
Both school districts won numerous awards with Mary Martin of Albion picked of one four outstanding lead actress honors among Division B schools. Martin is a repeat winner in the category. She played Belle in Albion’s production of Beauty and the Beast.
She will now compete in RBTL’s scholarship competition May 23 that features 32 outstanding leads in a nine-county area.
Photo by Tom Rivers – Mary Martin, an Albion High School senior who played Belle in Beauty and the Beast, was named an outstanding female lead by the Rochester Broadway Theater League.
Albion also won an award for outstanding dance ensemble. Several students also won “Tip of the Hat” recognition from program judges. A trio of performers – Faith Bentley, Madelaine Fournier and Alyssa Lawrence – were recognized for their performance as “Silly Girls.”
Joyce LaLonde won a “Tip of the Hat” award for “Babette,” while Kendra Morrison was recognized for her efforts as “Madame De La Grande Bouche.” Another Albion student, Maria Ostafew, was honored for “The Rose.”
Lyndonville had a big night. The district also competes in the B Division and has included Medina students the past two years. They performed Anything Goes.
Courtesy of Lyndonville Central School – Tom Follman, who played Moonface Martin in Lyndonville’s production of Anything Goes, was awarded best supporting actor in the “Stars of Tomorrow” program.
Lyndonville’s Tom Follman was awarded best supporting actor for his role as Moonface Martin. Joy Follman, who portrayed Mrs. Wadsworth T. Harcourt, received special recognition and Tip of the Hat awards.
The production also received outstanding singing ensemble and outstanding pit orchestra awards.
Medina students Madison Holland, Joe Mangiola and Regan Stacey were recognized for their roles in Anything Goes. Stacey was named best supporting actress and received a Tip of the Hat award for her work as the production choreographer. Mangiola was given a Tip of the Hat award, and Holland was named a Rising Star after a nomination from musical director Jennifer Trupo.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 May 2013 at 12:00 am
Paige Levandowski is VP, and Adam Eick is district president
Photo by Tom Rivers – Paige Levandowski of Albion is vice president of the New York FFA, an organization with 4,000 members. Adam Eick of Medina is president of a district that includes six FFA chapters in Western New York. They are pictured earlier today at Albion Middle School, where they are helping to plan the state convention that runs from Thursday to Saturday.
ALBION – Paige Levandowski was in seventh grade the last time Albion hosted the state FFA convention. She remembers the excitement from about 1,100 students from FFA chapters around the state in 2007.
“Everyone came flooding in and I could see what a big organization it is,” Levandowski, 19, said earlier today.
She has ascended the top ranks of FFA leadership, serving as vice president of the state FFA this past year, when she was a freshman at Morrisville State College. She also competed at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, and earned a silver medal in the job interview competition.
She is back home this week, helping to plan and run the three-day state convention, when 1,100 students from 71 chapters will be in town for competitions, workshops and inspiration.
“It’s nice to be back,” she said. “I’m hoping to see a fire lit in the local chapter and the FFA students.”
She sends a message that students don’t have to grow up on a farm to be involved in FFA or to pursue a career in agriculture.
“If you eat and wear clothes, you are involved in agriculture,” she said.
The industry offers many job opportunities off the farm, including careers in marketing, transportation, food processing, environmental regulations and many other jobs.
Levandowski has a few days left as vice president of the state FFA, an organization with 4,000 members in about 80 chapters. After the convention she will return to Morrisville for finals. She is majoring in agriculture business.
She has crisscrossed the state this year, visiting FFA chapters, especially those in northern New York.
She isn’t the only local FFA member on the state leadership team. Adam Eick, 18, is a senior at Medina and president of a district that includes six FFA chapters in Western New York.
He has visited those schools this year, spending a day leading leadership workshops. Eick also meets with the 13-member state officers team. He is more convinced after this year that FFA can develop leaders.
“FFA gives kids an opportunity to step outside the box and do things they never thought they’d do, and they do it,” he said.
He has made friends from throughout the state, and learned to value their opinions.
“Before I tended to want it to be my way,” Eick said. “Now I weigh all the sides and you make the best decision.”
Eick also plans to attend Morrisville this fall to major in ag business. He will join the collegiate FFA at Morrisville.
“I’ve evolved more professionally in the FFA, by talking to the public and with adults,” he said. “With the FFA you learn to deal with different types of people.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2013 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Jim Graziano, director of the Orleans County Mental Health Department, is honored by Pat Crowley, project director for the Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition.
ALBION – Human service agencies in Orleans County have a friend in Jim Graziano, leader of the Orleans County Mental Health Department the past eight years.
Graziano worked well with other agency leaders, and has been committed to providing services for residents, said Jan Albanese, a member of the Community Services Board and leader of the Act Program.
When Graziano was hired eight years ago, some in the community worried he might not be fully committed to the job because he lives in Erie County. But Albanese said Graziano showed his dedication to Orleans.
“He quickly reached out and collaborated with local agencies,” she said Wednesday when Graziano was honored at the Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition.
Graziano, who is retiring, also was presented with a “Special Recognition Award” during the County Legislature meeting on Wednesday.
“This presentation is bittersweet,” said Legislator Bill Eick. “We hate to see you go.”
Mark O’Brien, the Mental Health’s clinic coordinator, will succeed Graziano in leading the department.
Albanese praised Graziano for taking a leadership role with the coalition of agencies. He moderated two public forums, one on underage drinking and another on prescription drug abuse. The Genesee-Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse in 2007 presented him with a director’s award for his work in the county.
Graziano commended the department’s partner agencies for their commitment to residents.
“I’m glad I’ve been able to make a difference,” he said.
