Cobblestone Museum very close to $750K fundraising goal for Visitor’s Center
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Dick Remley, right, shares an update on fundraising for the Orleans County Visitors’ Center with guests at the Cobblestone Society’s annual membership meeting Wednesday at Carlton Recreation Hall. Looking on at left are Gail Johnson, chairwoman of the dinner, and Cobblestone Society director Doug Farley.
CARLTON – The Cobblestone Society’s fourth annual membership dinner took place Wednesday night at the Carlton Firemen’s Recreation Hall.
Cobblestone Museum director welcomed guests and introduced Dick Remley, fundraising chair of the drive to raise funds to build an Orleans County Visitors’ Center.
Larry Albanese, left, and retired Orleans County Sheriff Randy Bower examine U.S. Post Office boxes from the 1940s which were donated to the Cobblestone Society for a live auction.
Remley announced that $735,000 of the $750,000 goal for the Visitors’ Center has been pledged, and $354,000 has been collected – enough to complete the purchase of the building across the street which will become the Visitors’ Center. He said pledges were received from 115 different people and 12 names had been accepted for naming rights. A naming opportunity still exists. Museum director Doug Farley said they will announce the naming rights for the Visitors’ Center in the near future.
The architectural firm of Clinton Brown in Buffalo has been hired to create a master plan to rehab the building and add a meeting room. They hope to have a conceptual drawing in June.
“This will add a new dimension to the Cobblestone Society Museum and be a terrific asset for the entire county,” Remley said.
The grounds of the future Visitors’ Center will be the site of a Summer Solstice event June 22.
One of the couples attending the dinner was Amy Machamer of Hurd Orchards. She has attended other dinner meetings to support the Cobblestone Museum, and was amazed to see a grill in the live auction, similar to one on which she was the successful bidder at a previous dinner. The grill donated by Lowe’s in Brockport was one of nearly two dozen items in the live auction Wednesday night.
“Our house overlooks a beautiful peach orchard which slopes on the way to Sandy Creek,” Machamer said. “Our grill sits there in the back yard, where we love to sit.”
Prizes were awarded to five individuals in an early bird drawing for purchasing tickets by March 31.
A money tree raffled off was donated by Shirley Bright-Neeper, Camilla VanderLinden and Doreen Wilson.
The evening also featured a split club drawing, a silent auction featuring 40 donated items and a basket raffle. Former Orleans County Sheriff Randy Bower lent his expertise as an auctioneer for the evening and Larry Albanese was announcer.
Albanese called Bower the “auctioneer extraordinaire.”
“We’ve got this down,” Albanese said. “We’ve four years into doing this together.”
The meal, prepared by Zambistro’s in Medina, was entirely underwritten by Roy Bubb, John Nipher and Erin Anheier, all of Holley; and Gail Johnson of Albion.
Special thanks were extended to Scott B. Schickling, CPA, CFA of Medina for underwriting the cost of the Carlton Recreation Hall; Jackie and Bill Bixler, Leroy and Shirley Bright-Neeper and David Mitchell of Mitchell Family Funeral Homes for monetary donations; Diane Ecker Wadsworth of Bend, Ore., Grace Denniston and Tops Markets of Albion for the evening’s appetizers; Brenda Radzinski of Albion for the sheet cake; and Doreen Wilson of Albion for the cost of table coverings.
Events at the Cobblestone Museum include the spring exhibit of Victorian Mourning Art, Music of the 1920s on an Edison Victrola and upright player piano in May/June, the Summer Solstice Soiree June 22, Flea Market August 13, Fall Open House Sept. 10, Ghost Walk at a date to be announced in October and the Holiday Shoppe on dates to be announced.
