Courthouse dome will be lighted in orange next week, then purple in October

County seeks to highlight “Every Child Matters” and domestic violence awareness

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Orleans County Courthouse dome is shown last October when it was lighted up in purple in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The dome will again be lighted in purple from Oct. 2 to Oct. 16 for domestic violence awareness.

The courthouse top also will be illumined in orange from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1 for “Every Child Matters Day,” which is recognized on Sept. 30 across Indigenous communities. The day is a time to reflect on the truths of U.S. and Canadian boarding school histories, honor survivors, and commit to healing, reconciliation and education, Orleans County legislators said in a proclamation.

Orleans County Legislator Don Allport on Tuesday presents a proclamation in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. He presented it to Kelley Ortiz, senior caseworker; Cyndi Stumer, deputy commissioner of the Orleans County Department of Social Services; and Judianne Gearing, supervisor in DSS.

Legislators said that while 90 percent of domestic violence cases go unreported, 265 cases were reported to the Orleans County Domestic Violence Unit in 2024, 249 cases were reported in 2025 and 248 cases so far this year from Jan. 1 to Sept. 1.

“Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive behavior that may include physical, emotional, psychological, economic, or sexual abuse, perpetrated by an intimate partner over another, to establish and maintain power and control,” the proclamation states.

Domestic violence is the major cause of injury to women, resulting in more injuries to women then auto accidents, muggings and rapes combined, legislators stated.

“Domestic violence is a serious crime that affects people regardless of socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, age, gender, education, employment status, physical ableness, marital status, or childhood history,” the proclamation stated.

Legislator Allport also presented a proclamation about “Every Child Matters Day” for Sept. 30 to DSS caseworker Isabella Gibbs and DSS Commissioner Shirley Mazourek.

The proclamation states that beginning in the early 1800s and lasting well into the 20th century, hundreds of thousands of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children were removed from their families and communities and placed in more than 500 government and church-run Indian boarding schools.

“Many endured the loss of culture, language, traditions and identity, and many children never returned home,” the proclamation stated. “These schools caused intergenerational trauma that continues to affect Indigenous peoples, families and communities today, while Indigenous nations, families, and cultures continue to demonstrate resilience, strength and survival.”

Orange Shirt Day began in 2013 to honor survivors of residential and boarding schools, remember the children who never came home, and recognize the enduring impacts of these institutions.

“The Orleans County Department of Social Services will continue to collaborate with Tribes and Indigenous-led organizations to guide this work in culturally responsive and respectful ways; and commits to listening to Indigenous students and families to guide ongoing efforts toward healing, equity and belonging,” the proclamation states.

The County Legislature also issued a proclamation that declared October as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.” Legislator John Fitzak presents the proclamation to the county IT team that includes secretary Lily Kiebala, computer specialist Dan neary, senior computer specialist David Janus, system engineer Zach Reed, system engineer Don Mack, and IT director Ryan Woolston.

The Legislature and IT department encourage people to monitor your accounts, be conscientious of what you share online, keep computer software up to date, create unique passwords and change them regularly, install anti-virus programs and firewalls, and use mobile devices safely. Those are ways you can protect yourself from phishing, viruses, malware, and loss of sensitive data, they said.

“Maintaining the security of cyberspace is a shared responsibility in which each of us has a critical role to play, and awareness of computer security essentials will improve the security of Orleans County’s information, infrastructure and economy,” the proclamation states.