Photo by Tom Rivers – New York Revolution, a grass-roots organization that formed after the state passed an anti-gun law in January, has rallied public opposition against the SAFE Act by attending many community events, including the Lyndonville Fourth of July parade, as shown in this photo.

Nine months ago the group didn’t exist. Now it has secured resolutions from the 10 Town Boards, four Village Boards and the Orleans County Legislature all in opposition to the state’s new anti-gun law.

New York Revolution also is mounting a voter registration drive. The organization wants citizens to be more involved in the political process at the local, state and national levels. A big goal: voting out Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his re-election effort next year.

Cuomo pushed the SAFE Act through the state Legislature in January, a process that many have decried because there weren’t public hearings. Many detractors also say the law is unconstitutional, an attack on Second Amendment gun rights.

Gia Arnold of Holley was outraged when the law was passed. The 23-year-old mother of three young children helped form the New York Revolution, and coordinated a SAFE Act protest by the county courthouse in April. She has become the state leader of NY Revolution and has attended gun rights rallies throughout the state.

She also has been working to secure the resolutions from the local governments, believing a unified front in Orleans would send a message to Cuomo that the law is roundly opposed in Orleans. She hopes other counties will follow suit.

“We are very proud we got them all,” Arnold said this morning. “It’s a big accomplishment for Orleans County and I hope Gov. Cuomo will take notice.”

Medina and Lyndonville villages were the last to go on record against the SAFE Act. Those Village Boards voted on Monday.

Arnold has been busy in recent months, attending government meetings, parades and gun clubs, trying to mobilize residents against what she said is an unconstitutional law.

“When the law was passed in January, I told my husband we couldn’t stay quiet any longer,” Arnold said. “There are too many people staying under the radar. We need to make our voices heard.”

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A team of volunteers spent several hours today helping with projects at Hospice of Orleans, including cleaning the windows and working on the landscaping, as well as other tasks as part of a “Day of Caring.”

The group pictured includes, from left: Pat Bennett, Amanda Ledger, Mary Jo Allen, Sue Verheyn and Sherry White. They are all employees at Baxter International in Medina. Another Baxter employee, Melinda Murray, was part of team at Hospice.

Baxter sent 60 employees out for service projects in the county that were coordinated by the United Way of Orleans County. Altogether, 80 volunteers joined for the first Day of Caring in the county.

United Way Executive Director Lisa Ireland wanted the day to be part of Sept. 11.

“I wanted to turn a day of tragedy into a day of good,” Ireland said while stopping by Hospice today. “We wanted to turn it into a day of service and remembrance.”

Volunteers also spent six or seven hours on projects at Camp Rainbow in Ridgeway, two Head Start sites, Habitat for Humanity in Medina, the Community Kitchen at Christ Church in Albion and the Grace’s Place child care center in Holley, where volunteers read to children and gave each child a book donated by Baxter.

Baxter employees were able to use today as a work day if they signed up for a service project. The company and its employees last year contributed $50,000 to the United Way.

“They have an amazing philanthropic culture,” Ireland said.

Provided photo from United Way

ALBION – Local Boy Scout leaders Tom Madejski, left, and Bryan Catlin accept a check on Tuesday from United Way Executive Director Marsha Rivers to help cover camp costs for a scout in need.

United Way of Orleans County supports 20-plus partner agencies and programs through an application and allocations process each year. In addition, a portion of campaign funds, raised through workplace giving programs, individual and corporate donations, is reserved for needs that arise in the community throughout the year.

This month, the United Way was able to “fill in the gap” for a Boy Scout whose account, despite his own dutiful fundraising efforts and his faithful participation in troop activities, still fell slightly short of camp costs.

“Thanks to generous United Way supporters, this boy can join his comrades at Camp Dittmer, strengthening friendships and making memories that will help get him off to a confident and healthy start in life,” said Marsha Rivers, United Way executive director.

“This is just one recent example of the many ways United Way is able to bring good causes together with good people.”

Photos by Tom Rivers – Andrew Muscari, a Holley police officer, lights a candle in memory of the 60 police officers who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

A Mercy Flight helicopter from Batavia prepares to land next to the Elk’s Club in Albion just before a Sept. 11 memorial service.

ALBION – Twelve years after terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people on American soil, the first responder community in Orleans County gathered today for a memorial service at the Elk’s Club in Albion.

Larry Montello, a member of the American Legion, coordinated the memorial service for the 10^th straight year. He said firefighters, police officers, medics and other first responders are “true heroes.” They charged into danger after the World Trade Center towers were hit by airplanes full of jet fuel.

“Fanatics can crumble our buildings to the ground, but they can never triumph over the American spirit,” said State Assemblyman Steve Hawley. “We are the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Hawley spoke about the country’s strength, as a land of religious freedom and opportunity, and how that sometimes incites hatred from other countries. The United States continues to revel in its cultural diversity, refusing to bow to bigotry and hatred, Hawley said.

Montello has been determined to keep the memorial service going, and he invites first responders from throughout the county, members of fire departments, ambulance squads, law enforcement and Mercy Flight.

Other communities have stopped doing the memorial services, particularly after the 10^th anniversary of the attacks two years ago, State Sen. George Maziarz noted.

He praised the Legion and the many agencies for continuing to pause on Sept. 11 to remember the victims from the terrorist attacks.

“I’m honored and proud to serve Orleans County in the State Senate,” he said.

John Ulmen, a member of the U.S. Navy, speaks during today’s Sept. 11 memorial service at the Elk’s Club in Albion. Ulmen served a tour of duty in Iraq. Larry Montello, right, organized the memorial service for the American Legion. State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, left, and State Sen. George Maziarz spoke at the service.

County Legislator Don Allport addressed a crowd of about 50 people, telling them he is “disgusted” that U.S. and state leaders “are systematically taking our rights away.” Allport said the country needs to seal its borders to keep out terrorists.

“We are the most compassionate country in the world, but when we are pushed we will fight back,” Allport said.

John Ulmen of Kendall works as the Rite Aid manager in Albion. After the Sept. 11 attacks, he enlisted in the Navy and served 14 months of active duty, including seven months in Camp Fallujah, Iraq.

Ulmen said U.S. military personnel are deployed around the world, performing critical missions every day.

“I can tell you that today, wherever they may be, they feel a sense of pride and satisfaction that they are standing the watch for all of you,” said Ulmen, whose son Jacob has joined the Navy.

There will be vigil at 6 p.m. today by the Sept. 11 memorial by the Orleans County Courthouse. That memorial was dedicated two years ago.

John Leggat and his horse Nino carry a flag-draped casket during a memorial service today at the Elk’s Club at Albion.

Photos by Tom Rivers – United Way of Orleans County kicked off its annual fundraising campaign tonight, setting a $325,000 goal. Lisa Ireland, United Way executive director, and honorary chairman Charlie Nesbitt announced the goal before agency leaders and campaign volunteers during a kickoff at Leonard Oakes Estate Winery in Medina.

MEDINA – Agencies that perform vital human services in Orleans County will have a well-known community cheerleader helping to raise money on their behalf in the coming months.

Charlie Nesbitt, the area’s former state assemblyman, is serving as honorary chairman for United Way of Orleans County’s annual fund-raising campaign.

This will be the organization’s first campaign since the merger of the Western and Eastern Orleans United Way chapters. The merger became official last December.

United Way raises funding for about 20 local agencies that serve youths, senior citizens, people with developmental disabilities and other residents.

Nesbitt didn’t need too much convincing to lead the fund-raising effort.

“I found out that real work is being done,” he told campaign supporters during a kickoff celebration at Leonard Oakes Estate Winery. “These aren’t things that are nice to do. These are things that have to be done.”

United Way leaders set a $325,000 fund-raising goal. That money is directed to agencies including 4-H and Cornell Cooperative Extension, Camp Rainbow through the Arc of Orleans, Meals on Wheels, Boy Scouts, Community Action’s Main Street store, Community Kitchen at Christ Episcopal Church in Albion, GCASA and Students United for Positive Action, Girl Scouts and Hospice of Orleans.

Honorary campaign chairman Charlie Nesbitt helps rally United Way supporters tonight during a campaign launch at Leonard Oakes Estate Winery.

Other funded agencies include Just Friends, Medina Youth Commission, Ministry of Concern, Habitat for Humanity, Orleans County Adult Learning Service, PathStone Domestic Violence Shelter, Regional Action Phone, Senior Citizens of WNY, and the Orleans County YMCA.

United Way held its first Day of Caring today, when about 80 volunteers worked on service projects at several sites throughout the county. Lisa Ireland, the United Way executive director, planned the event to fall on Sept. 11, the 12^th anniversary of terrorists attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

She wanted the volunteers to turn a day of tragedy into a day devoted to service.

She noted that Baxter International in Medina sent 60 employees to work on projects in the community. Baxter and its employees contributed $54,000 to the 2013 campaign. Nelson Patterson, the company’s vice president in Medina, also serves on the United Way board.

Baxter bought the former Sigma in Medina, and employs 490 people, with another 60 other people working on a contractual basis.

Patterson wants the company and the employees to give back to Medina and Orleans County.

“Baxter has a heritage of being involved in our communities,” Patterson said at the United Way kickoff tonight.

Ireland praised Baxter for its commitment. She also commended Nesbitt for leading the new campaign.

Nesbitt was an Army helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. He played Little League with Ireland’s older brother Rick Engle, who also served in Vietnam. Engle did not come home alive. He was killed during the war.

Ireland said Nesbitt has always been kind to her family. When Ireland asked him to serve as honorary chairman for the fund-raising effort, Nesbitt said he couldn’t say no to Engle’s younger sister.

Nesbitt believes the community will respond to the campaign, giving to United Way and its member agencies.

“This is a very generous place,” he said about the county.