Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Albion First Presbyterian Church Choir sings “Call to Christmas” on Saturday during the annual community Christmas concert hosted by the church.

The event is presented by the Albion Alumni Foundation and the Albion First Presbyterian Church.

Bella Davy, a 2021 Albion grad, holds her son Wyatt while singing “The Christmas Song.” Davy was among many Albion alumni to perform in the concert.

About 200 people attended the concert in the historic church. Here they are listening to Jason Pahura, a 2008 graduate.

Jason Pahura plays the guitar and sings, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

Sarah Hill sings, “River.” She has performed as a soloist and in many of the productions by the Lakes Plains Players.

Other performers included Gary Simboli, Lonnie Froman and John Borello, Annalise Steier, Mike Thaine, Alec Sherman, Hannah Brewer, Mollie Radzinski, Ron Albertson, Jason Anstey, Keira Zambito, Susan Thaine, Denise Thomas, Leah Kania, Erin Moody and the community choir.

Provided photos

ALBION – The Orleans Koinonia Kitchen celebrated its annual Christmas event on Thursday and served over 600 meals.

The OK Kitchen also gave gifts and goodie bags to 175 children. Faith Smith, the kitchen’s director, said the OK Kitchen assisted 275 families with food and gifts.

The Community of Hope Church prepared the hot meals, with to-go meals put together by Harvest Christian Fellowship.

The goodie bags for adults were handed out by Rome Santiago. Children received a filled fanny pack, goody bag and a toy that were given out by Annabella Dusharm and Meleana Mengs. Every family received a food box filled with non-perishable foods, eggs, fresh produce, Christmas tree cakes and frozen chicken that were handed out by Michael Smith and Albion Lions member Kevin Howard.

Debbie Coon Barbato set up a holiday craft table for children.  Kelly Follman, a Lyndonville music teacher, and a student played music for the group at the OK Kitchen.

“We were blessed with so many donations from the community,” Smith said. She listed Harvest Christian Fellowship, Community of Hope, The Albion/Medina Lions, Albion Save-A-Lot ,Tops in Albion, Albion Faith Fellowship, Albion Middle School, Albion National Honor Society, Pirate Toys, Frosty & Friends, the Millers Bulk Food & Bakery, and Foodlink.

The kitchen is based at Harvest Christian Fellowship and served about 35,000 meals on Thursdays this year. The kitchen will be closed on Christmas and be back open on Jan. 1.

The OK Kitchen also gave out over 2,300 frozen meals, over 1,700 extra care bags, 1,600 food bags, 900 cleaning/laundry bags and over 750 bags for homeless people.

Faith Smith, the kitchen’s director, said the site is now fully supported by Foodlink.

“We will now be getting food on a regular basis, so we are looking for groups to come cook at the kitchen,” she said. “We will be supplying everything, food included!”

Volunteers are welcome to go to the OK Kitchen website – www.okkitchen.org, click the calendar and date, and send Smith a message.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Members of the U-16 Lady Dukes softball team donated a bunch of toys to the Elks Lodge in Albion. The Elks have since given those 170 toys to be shared with students in the Albion school district.

The U-16 team includes Aubrielle Barry of Albion, whose parents Lisa and Chris Barry are both members of the Elks.

The Lady Dukes play their home games at Niagara-Wheatfield High School. They practice every Wednesday and Sunday, and play in many tournaments with most of their 70 to 75-game season in June and July. Most of the players are from Niagara and Erie counties.

Many of the team members were in Albion last Saturday to drop off the toys. The Lady Dukes they attended the Charles W. Howard Hometown Parade featuring more than 30 lighted floats in Albion.

Pictured in front from left include: Jenna Linderman, Madyson Flint, Madison Miller and Giana Fiorella.

In back include Lynda Standish, secretary of the Elks; Mike Jenks, exalted ruler of the Elks in Albion; Kyle Flint, Lady Dukes coach; Lillyana Dunsworth; Aubrielle Barry; Nicole Miller, assistant coach; Richard Robb, leading knight; and Jen Stephenson, member of the Elks.

The team shopped for the gifts at Target on Niagara Falls Boulevard.

Coach Flint said the players were enthusiastic about picking out toys for kids in the Albion school district.

“It was awesome to see the girls giving back,” he said.

Other team members not in the photo include Addison MacDougal, Ava Fraser, Grace Ortman, Leah Skurzewski, Leighton King and Zoie Downey.

The toys from the Lady Dukes and Elks Lodge were dropped off at the Albion school district. Pictured from left to right include Niccole More, Albion Elementary School social worker; Mike Jenks, Elks Exalted Ruler; Carl Phillips, Elks Trustee; and Angela Conway, Albion Elementary principal.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Josh Mitchell, a funeral director with Mitchell Family Cremations & Funerals, lights candles in honor of loved ones of people who attended a “Service of Remembrance & Hope” on Thursday evening at the First Baptist Church of Albion.

The service was presented by Mitchell Family Cremations & Funerals and the Albion Ministerium.

About 25 people attended. They wrote names of loved ones who were recognized by lighting candles and also by having those names read out loud during the service.

Gary Simboli, a retired music teacher at Albion, performs, “Mary, Did You Know?” during the service.

The Rev. Dr. Brenda Bierdeman, a minister at the Albion Free Methodist Church, reads scripture from Psalm 61:1-4, and Psalm 62: 1-2. “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken,” part of the passage states.

Erin Moody sings “Christmas in Heaven” during the service. He lit a candle in honor of his son Brennan, who passed away from a car accident when he was 17 on June 18, 2019.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Community Action staff and volunteers pose in a room at the Main Street Corner Thrift Store in Albion, which is filled with gifts and food for 131 families. Gifts were distributed on Thursday. From left are Ryan Lasal, director of Community Planning at CAOG; Nicki Targa, Emergency Services assistant; Kristina Ettinger, director of Community Services; and Maria Morgan, a volunteer.

ALBION – Three hundred and forty-one families will enjoy Christmas dinner and celebrate with gifts, thanks to Community Action of Orleans and Genesee counties and generous contributions from the community.

Community Action’s Christmas giveaway has been an ongoing program to assist families struggling financially. This year saw one of the largest (if not the largest) number of requests.

Ryan Lasal, director of Community Programming at Community Action, gives a ham to Filamena Salyer of Albion. In addition to food for Christmas dinner, Salyer received gifts for her young son.

In Albion 131 families received gifts and food for a Christmas dinner, which included a ham. Holley gave out gifts and food to 36 families, while Genesee County filled 174 requests.

Every eligible family who applied received a box of food with a ham or turkey and food for a traditional holiday meal, said Ryan Lasal, director of Community Planning at CAOG. Children filled out a wish list and each child received a gift, Lasal said.

On Tuesday, Lasal and Kristina Ettinger, Community Services organizer, were assisted by Nicki Targa, Emergency Services assistant and volunteers Brittany Knight, her son Teddy and Maria Morgan. Morgan regularly works 21 hours a week volunteering, Lasal said.

Ettinger said by the end of the day on Tuesday, most all of the packages will have been distributed.

The distribution took place at the rear of Community Action’s Main Street Corner Thrift Store, where two rooms were filled with bags and boxes of gifts and food.

One resident who happily picked up his gifts was Dennis Massey of Albion.

“Getting this food means we won’t be hungry on Christmas,” he said. “This is a gift from God.”

Massey said there are four in his family who will now have a Merry Christmas. He said Community Action has helped him before and he was very thankful.

Brittany Knight volunteered to help with her son Teddy, 8.

“Community Action gave to us when we first moved here, and we wanted to give back,” Knight said.

While requests for holiday assistance were up from last year, Lasal said they were able to fill all requests because of the generosity of the community.

“A lot of organizations stepped up and adopted children,” Lasal said. “This is the most prepared we’ve been for the holiday.”

Last year, Community Action served a total of 244 families in both counties.

“When SNAP benefits were canceled, the community really rallied around our agency,” Lasal said. “We saw a big influx of donations and cash.”

He said they worked with Walmart to buy 160 hams and 130 turkeys.

Toys and gifts for children were made possible through donations from the Pirate Toy Fund of Rochester, Toys for Tots and a toy drive by Canalside Tattoo in Medina.

“A lot of community members just came in and dropped off presents, food and cash,” Ettinger said.

Filomena Salyer of Albion was another resident whose family will have a happy holiday because of Community Action.

“Getting food for Christmas and gifts for my son means a lot to me,” Salyer said. “I am very thankful for Community Action. By the grace of God they have been very generous to me. Our Christmas would be pretty bland without their support. I thank God for this place.”

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee gave out Christmas food and gifts to more than 300 families on Tuesday. Here, Dennis Massey of Albion, right, picks up his gifts and Christmas ham from Kristina Ettinger, director of Community Services; Teddy Knight, 8; and Ryan Lasal, director of Community Programming at COAG.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Jon Rissinger and his wife Galina are shown inside Sew-It-Seams Upholstery, which they opened in October at 28 East Bank St.

ALBION – When Jon Rissinger was a kid growing up in Wyoming County, his parents were 4-H leaders. His mother taught him to sew as a kid as part of being in 4-H.

Rissinger, now 66, has turned that hobby into a busy new business in Albion. He opened Sew-It-Seams Upholstery on Oct. 1 at 28 East Bank St.

He works with leather, vinyl, cloth, cutting the materials to size and then sewing them together. Some of the projects have 40 different pieces to sew.

Rissinger likes to work with his customers to give new life to old furniture, and seats for cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles and boats. He also does hemming and zipper replacement.

“What intrigued me most about sewing is you can make whatever you want,” he said. “You connect two pieces together and you got a new product.”

Jon Rissinger creates a pattern for a new cover on a snowmobile seat. He makes new fabric for furniture, car seats, motorcycle seats, boat seat and snowmobiles. He also is skilled a chair caning.

Rissinger has previously worked as a hoof trimmer for the dairy industry for 15 years and he owned a computer repair shop in Castile. He moved to Albion 3 ½ years ago, drawn by a good deal on his house.

He has been doing upholstery projects the past decade and wanted more room for the business. The spot in downtown Albion has been a good fit.

“I’ve been self-employed for 30 years,” he said. “You get to meet a lot of people.”

Rissinger has four sewing machines, a serger, fabric cutter and other  equipment. He is considering offer classes this winter for people who want to learn the sewing craft, upholstering and chair caning.

The business is open from noon to 6 p.m. from Monday through Friday. For more information call (585) 867-1536 or check the business’s Facebook page.

Jon Rissinger opened his business, Sew-It-Seams Upholstery, in Albion on Oct. 1 and he said he has been busy.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Albion was busy on Saturday during its annual Hometown Holiday event. There were many activities in the downtown business district, the library and other locations.

The top photo shows kids making crafts and enjoying hot chocolate at Hoag Library. They also made get well cards for 4-year-old Paisley who is struggling from complications from a small intestine transplant. Paisley, the daughter of Josh Daniels and Ashley Nenni, has been at Mount Sinai in New York City for over a year.

The kids at Hoag were all able to take home a tea cup to give to a family member for Christmas. The activity was organized by Lori Laine, Maureen Bennett, Marilyn Burgoon and Michelle Hughson.

Maureen Bennett, left, and Val Rush as Mrs. Claus greeted people at Hoag Library.

The day started with Coffee with a Cop at the Village Office. Sgt. Robert Wagner, second from left, and officer Sean McElhinny are shown with Kay Ecker, left, and Anita Finley who were leading a crafts activity where people could decorate ornaments.

Ashley Johnson brought her son and two nieces to decorate ornaments.

Hometown Holiday was capped with a parade at 6 p.m. and after-parties at Dubby’s Tailgate and 39 Problems.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Wes Tabor, a Vietnam War veteran, sets wreaths at the graves of veterans at Mount Albion Cemetery on Saturday. Tabor was a frontline medic in the war from 1969 to 1970.

Mount Albion for the second year joined in Wreaths Across America. The first year in 2024, there were 225 wreaths. On Saturday, the total was boosted to 360.

Jenn Thom leads the wreath effort at Mount Albion. She is the director of Operation Honor. She would like to see wreaths for all the veterans buried at Mount Albion – more than 2,000.

Jennifer Hughes, Girl Scout leader for Troop 82094, brought several scouts to Mount Albion to help place the wreaths, including her granddaughter, Evelyn Strickland.

Angie Wolfe and her son Caleb, 13, carry wreaths to be placed at the veterans’ section of the cemetery. Caleb volunteered with the History Club at Albion school.

Jenn Thom, director of Operation Honor, and Wes Tabor set wreaths at Mount Albion with temperatures in the low 20s.

When the volunteers set the wreaths, they were encouraged to say the veteran’s name and thank them for their service.

These Girl Scouts from Medina – Rayne Davis in front, Alaina Fry behind her, and Madison Fry at right – carry wreaths to place at veterans’ graves.

More than 30 parade participants brave 20-degree weather

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Bloom’s Flower Shop took first place in the Charles W. Howard Hometown Parade on Saturday in Albion.

Bloom’s won the $600 first place prize with a float that featured Cousin Eddie from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

Bloom’s passes down Main Street in front of the judge’s stand. There were about 30 floats and other parade entries in the fifth annual lighted parade in Albion.

Eye of Oden, a dog training site in Kent, won second place and $400 for its entry in the parade.

Eye of Oden had several dogs and their handlers in the parade.

The Albion FFA won third place and $200 for a float with a theme from the Toy Story. Toy Story has a message, “You got a friend in me.” The FFA shared its message: “You got a friend in the Albion FFA.”

Orly the Ox, the county’s bicentennial mascot, joined Santa and Mrs. Claus in a float. That float was a decorated boat to celebrate the Erie Canal, which also observed its 200^th anniversary in 2025.

Orly, Mrs. Claus and Santa greet people as they head north on Main Street. The parade started and ended at Dubby’s Tailgate.

Albion’s youth football was in the parade and celebrated its recent undefeated season and championship in the Niagara Orleans Football Association.

ARG Disposal & Transfer, a dumpster rental service in Albion, decorated float for the hometown parade.

Vendi Excavating & Septic of Rochester decorated some of their trucks in lights.

Hearth & Home Real Estate in Albion was the first float in the parade.

Painted Sky Ranch in Brockport brought several horses for the parade.

Luddy’s Equipment Rental of Albion decorated a float for the parade.

Four Seasons Stables in Lanesborough, Mass. brought horses and a float for the parade.

Head Start from Community Action had a large group participating in the parade.

Quill’s Towing in Barre joined in the parade.

Town and Country Quilt Shop created a float.

Some Albion students led by music teacher Karen Conn sang Christmas carols in the parade.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Pastor Al Wilson of the Royal Body Shop Ministries in Albion gets butter ready for 450 pounds of salt potatoes that will be served as part of 1,000 chicken dinners.

The Royal Body Shop will serve the meals beginning at noon from the Masonic Lodge on Platt Street.

The dinners are being offered as part of Albion’s Hometown Holiday which includes many events throughout the day including a parade with 35 floats beginning at 6 p.m.

Pastor Jose “Cas” Casanova of the Family of God Christian Center in Middleport is cooking green beans with smoked turkey. Vickie Elsenheimer, an active volunteer of the Royal Body Shop Ministries, also is helping with the meals.

The Family of God Christian Center is part of the Royal Body Shop Ministries which also includes a church in Buffalo, the Greater Royal Worship Center. The Rev. Dr. Ashley Casanova, Jose’s wife, leads the church in Middleport.

This is the fourth year the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries is serving at least 1,000 dinners for free to the community.

Hometown Holiday features many activities on Dec. 13

File photo by Tom Rivers: This float carrying Santa and Mrs. Claus passes down Platt Street during last year’s Charles W. Howard Hometown Parade on Dec. 14. The parade tomorrow on Dec. 13 will have Santa in a boat to celebrate the Erie Canal bicentennial.

ALBION – A parade will feature 35 lighted floats on Saturday in Albion for the fifth annual lighted parade in the village.

The Charles W. Howard Hometown Parade begins at 6 p.m. on Route 31 at Dubby’s parking lot and heads to Route 98, goes down Main Street to Bank Street and then goes to Platt Street and concludes at Dubby’s, where there will be a party after the parade.

The parade is named in honor of Charles Howard, who ran a Santa School in Albion from 1937 to 1966. He also operated Christmas Park beginning in the mid-1950s. That site attracted about 80,000 people a year.

The parade will culminate with a float carrying Santa. This year Santa will be a boat as a tribute to the Erie Canal’s 200^th anniversary in 2025.

There are prizes for the top floats: $600 for first $400 for second, and $200 for third.

Ron Albertson will serve as the parade announcer from a stand on Main Street across from the Post Office.

Here is the schedule for Saturday for Albion’s Hometown Christmas:

• Shopping with Misfit Toys from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Downtown Browsery
• Free Ice Cream & Hot Chocolate from 10 a.m. to noon at Tinsel
• Kids’ Crafts from 10 a.m. to noon at Town and Country Quilt Shop
• Donuts & Coffee with Cops, and Kids’ Crafts from 10 a.m. to noon at Village Hall (35 E. Bank)
• Ornament Kits from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Red Check
• Tea with Mrs. Claus from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hoag Library
• Free Chicken Dinners (while supplies last) beginning at noon from Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries at Masonic Lodge on Platt Street
• Fireside with Santa from 3 to 4 p.m. at Hearth & Home
• Christmas Traditions with crafts, cupcakes & free gifts from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Albion Free Methodist Church
• Charles W. Howard Hometown Parade begins at 6 p.m. at Dubby’s Tailgate, goes down Main St. and ends back at Dubby’s. (After the parade at Dubby’s visit with Santa & Mrs. Claus)
• Movie Night with free pizza, cocoa & candy at 7 p.m. at Albion Free Methodist Church
• All Day at 39 Problems – drink specials & live music after the parade

Photos courtesy of Hoag Library: The Rochester Mandolin Orchestra will perform on Saturday at noon to cap this year’s series of concerts at the library in Albion. This will close out the third year of concerts at Hoag.

Press Release, Hoag Library

ALBION – Hoag Library is excited to announce that the Rochester Mandolin Orchestra will perform the final concert of the 2025 Hoag Library Music Series on Saturday at noon. This free community performance will take place at Hoag Library, bringing a dynamic year of live music to a memorable close.

Planning for the 2026 Music Series is already underway. Among the artists preparing to take the stage next year is the Medusa Quartet, a genre-bending chamber-folk ensemble known for reimagining the traditional string quartet. Additional performers will be announced as the new season approaches.

The Hoag Library Music Series, presented in partnership with GO Art!, showcases a diverse lineup of accomplished musicians throughout the year. This initiative is made possible with funding from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, supported by the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and administered by GO Art!

This winter, Adult Services Librarian Jim Doyle will also continue his hands-on music programming with Make a Mountain Dulcimer Classes and Learn a Dulcimer Song with Jim, offering patrons a unique opportunity to explore traditional folk music and instrument building.

For more information about upcoming concerts and music workshops, visit Hoag Library or follow us on social media.

Medusa Quartet will perform next year at Hoag Library.  The group is known for reimagining the traditional string quartet.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Joe and Diane Argento opened Argento’s Bakery & Deli today at 117 North Liberty St. in Albion.

The couple expected to have a soft opening and news spread once they put the open sign out at 10 a.m.

“Our goal was to get our feet wet before the big grand opening, but word has definitely gotten out,” they posted on the Argento’s Facebook page. “We are beyond thankful for all the love and support everyone has shown us.”

Mr. Argento ran the Argento’s Kitchen diner in Elba for three years in the late 1990s. He then worked 17 years at Batavia Downs as a bartender, then as customers relations manager, and the final two years as the Homestretch Grill at the Downs. He retired on Aug. 30.

His wife also worked at Homestretch. They live about a mile from their business, the former location of Pretty Sweet Bakery.

The Argentos both retired from Batavia Downs, but didn’t want to end their work lives.

“We’re too young to retire,” Mr. Argento said.

He enjoys chatting with the customers and working alongside his wife.

The new deli and bakery is located at 117 North Liberty St., behind Five Star Bank and across from Arnold’s Auto Parts.

Joe Argento prepares the sandwiches and deli items while Diane “Di” makes the baked goods.

The couple may experiment with the hours. Right now it’s 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday with Argento’s closed on Sunday and Monday.

The deli includes a soup of the day (today it was Italian wedding soup), a variety of subs, salads, and “sangweeches” which are large Italian style sandwiches.

The bakery includes cookies, pies, cheese cake, cupcakes, muffins, cannoli, cakesicles, cupcakes and rice pudding.

The Argentos said they are pleased to be in the historic downtown in a welcoming community.

“It’s a nice town,” Di Argento said. “Everybody is friendly.”

Customers can all ahead and order at 585-590-4924. Check the Argento’s Facebook page for more information.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A figurine of Santa greets people at Snell Realtors on Main Street in Albion while the street lights are decorated with lights (looking like Candy Canes) by the Department of Public Works in Albion.

The Albion Merchants Association is planning its annual Hometown Holiday celebration on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with local businesses hosting activities including visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, cookie decorating and hot cocoa, holiday crafts for kids, carolers and live music.

There will be a lighted parade at 6 p.m. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available after the parade at Dubby’s Tailgate.

The Village Hall at 35-37 East Bank St. has three Christmas trees decorated for holidays. Many other storefronts also have displays for the Christmas season.