GO Art! honors 2 from Orleans for service to cultural life in community
Photo by Tom Rivers: Gregory Hallock, executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, presents a “Lifetime Achievement” award to Lynne Menz on Friday at GO Art! in Batavia. Menz received the award for her many years of working on arts and cultural events in Orleans County.
BATAVIA – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council has recognized an organization and a long-time community member for their efforts to add cultural programs to Orleans County.
GO Art! each year presents Genean awards to people and organizations that are committed to cultural life in Genesee and Orleans counties. The awards were presented on March 28, but Lynne Menz, the Lifetime Achievement winner from Orleans County, was unable to attend the program that evening.
On Friday, when GO Art! was announcing its grants to cultural programs for 2026 in Orleans County, Menz also was presented with her Genean Award.
Menz, a Point Breeze resident, worked for many years with the Orleans County Tourism Department, and has been a very active volunteer with the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association, Friends of the Orleans County Marine Park, Oak Orchard Lighthouse Association and Medina Sandstone Society.
Menz helped her father, the late Bill Menz, raise community support for a bronze statue of a soldier outside the YMCA in Medina, which formerly was used as the Medina Armory to train soldiers.
She is doesn’t with her projects. She is leading the Friends of Orleans County Marine Park in hosting a popup and jam on Sept. 12, a marketplace at the park on Route 98 with vendors and music.
There will also be a new fisherman selfie sign at the park for anglers to pose with fish.
Provided photo: Jodi Fisher, program director for GO ART!, presents the “Organization of the Year” award to the Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events Inc., a not-for-profit organization. This award was presented on March 28 to G-ACRE leaders, including Ron Albertson, center, and John Grillo, Albion’s recreation director for the past 50 years.
G-ACRE runs the annual Rock the Park – Albion Summer Music Festival, featuring bands and performers all day in an August celebration.
G-ACRE also has been a fundraising arm for recent improvements at Bullard Park, including new basketball and pickleball courts, a spray park, pavilion, disc golf course and other improvements.
The full list of Genean Awards includes:
- Lifetime Achievement in Orleans County: Lynne Menz
- Lifetime Achievement in Genesee County: Maryanne Arena
- Supporter (of the Cultural Sector) of the Year: Raeann Engler
- Individual Artist of the Year: Bill Schutt
- Honorable Mention: Lily Renz
- Organization of the Year: Greater Albion Community Recreation & Events, Inc. (G-ACRE)
- Volunteer of the Year: Andrea Hofmaster
