Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Members of the VFW and American Legion posts carry flags at the beginning of a processional on Platt Street in front of the VFW Post. The Albion Village Hall and Police Station are in back.

For the second year there wasn’t a typical Memorial Day parade in Albion. Last year’s parade and service were cancelled due to Covid-19 concerns and restrictions.

The parade route usually starts on Main Street and heads to Route 31, ending at the middle school lawn and memorial.

The local veterans wanted a service this year, and opted for a smaller route and fewer parade participants. The Albion marching band and local scouts weren’t in the parade.

The procession passed by the Orleans County Courthouse on East State Street. Garland Miller, a Word War II veteran, served as honorary parade marshal. He rode in a Kubota driven by his son, Lynn Miller, a veteran who lives in Holley.

The Color Guard rounds the corner along the sidewalk at State and Main streets, headed to the service at the new veterans memorial that was dedicated last year by the Knights of Columbus.

Garland Miller, 95, is escorted in the Kubota by his son, Lynn. During World War II, Miller was an ambulance driver in the Pacific Theater. After the war he worked 21 years as a heavy equipment mechanic for the state Department of Transportation in Pittsford and then close to home in Albion. He also drove a tractor-trailer for 28 years and worked part-time for an auctioneer in Middleport.

This group of veterans bows their heads during a prayer by Tim Lindsay, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Albion.

Tim Lindsay said 1.3 million Americans have given their lives in military service for the country in the past 250 years. That sacrifice has made the country – and the world – a better and safer place, Lindsay said.

Lindsay quoted from President Lincoln’s speech at Gettysburg on Nov. 19, 1863, noting the soldiers honored on Memorial Day “gave the last full measure of devotion” to the country.

Lindsay prayed that God would continue to bless the United States keep his “providential hand upon us.”

This group gathers on the Courthouse Square lawn by a veterans’ memorial dedicated last year by the Knights of Columbus.

Tim Archer, a service learning teacher at Albion, has led seventh-graders in several community projects honoring veterans. He said his goal is to help the students become better citizens.

Archer shared that he recently walked at Mount Albion Cemetery and stopped by the graves of six local men who died defending the country over three generations.

One of the soldiers, Jason Johnston, was in Archer’s class.

Archer highlighted these soldiers:

• Private First Class Augustus J. Rogers, Co. B, 315th Infantry, died in 1944 at age 19
• S/Sgt. Howard W. Tucker, Co. M. 385th Infantry, 76th Division, died in 1945 at age 25
• Pvt. Robert Casselman, 79th Qm. Depot, died in 1954 at age 24
• John J. Hornyak, Marine Corps in Vietnam, died in 1966 at age 28
• Pvt. First Class Paul D. Ormand, security agency in Vietnam, died in 1975 at age 19
• Army Spec. Jason M. Johnston, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team in Afghanistan, died in 2009 at age 24.

“Their deeds and sacrifice speak to us today — in this great land that God has ordained and blessed. It is our responsibility to remember, preserve and pass on to the next generation those standards and expectations that make America the greatest nation on earth.”

Archer also shared that his students are working on an interpretive panel that would be installed in front of the Treasurer’s Office on East Park Street. That building was the first home for the Sheret Post of the American Legion and was its home from 1935 until 1980.

It was named for Sgt. James Sheret, who died on Sept. 29, 1918 in World War I. Sheret was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for the bravery of his actions during the attack on the Hindenburg Line. General John Pershing considered “one of the hundred heroes of WW1”.

Sgt. Sheret’s brother Egbert, a machine gunner, was also killed in action that day and their younger brother, Andrew, was severely injured.

Issac Robinson, a former combat medic, fires as part of a 21-gun salute near the end of today’s Memorial Day observance. Jim Hollinger, left, and Matt Passarell were part of the Color Guard.

ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board on Thursday voted in favor of four solar projects in county with two in Albion, one in Kendall and one in Carlton.

The Planning Board recommended each town accept the site plans and issue permits for the projects. The projects are all on land that is currently being farmed.

In Albion, a 5-megawatt project with about 40,000 solar panels is proposed at 3852 Long Bridge Rd., on land owned by Brad Bokman near Route 31. The solar arrays will generate enough power for about 700-900 homes, a company representative said by Zoom videoconferencing during Thursday’s meeting.

U.S. Light and Energy in Latham, NY, will use 66 acres of a 92-acre parcel for the ground-mounted solar system. The project includes electrical equipment with transformers on concrete pads, an accessory building, 1,560 linear feet of electrical line, a chain-link fence and an access drive off Long Bridge Road. The landscaping plan also calls for 553 plants, with 292 Wichita Blue Juniper trees.

County planners recommended Albion require an existing berm on the property’s western border remain to provide a buffer for a neighboring house made of Medina sandstone in the Greek Revival architectural style. That house would be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, according to a letter from Oct. 16, 2020 from Robyn Sedgwick, historic site restoration coordinator for the State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

• The other project in Albion is at 3858 Gaines Basin Rd., on land owned by Donna Laubacher. This site is just south of Allen Road.

The 2.5 megawatt solar system with about 8,100 solar panels would use 15.6 acres of the land. AES DE DevCo NC LLC is the developer. The company is based in Louisville, Colo.

AES said the project is expected to have a useful life of 25 years or longer. The landscaping plan includes 470 deciduous and evergreen trees with 183 Northern White Cedars, along with shrubs and pollinators.

• In Kendall, a 5-megawatt project is proposed for 27 acres on Center Road on land owned by Lance Manville of Hilton.

The developer of the project is DG New York LLC, based in Juno Beach, Fla. The project is at 1770 Center Rd., the northwest intersection of Center Road and Kenmore Road.

• In Carlton, a 4.4 megawatt project would be on 26.7 acres at 13759 Waterport-Carlton Rd., land owned by Michael and Jessica Connor.

The developer of the project is Omni Navitas Holdings LLC in Boston, Mass.

The company is proposing 12,700 solar panels, new electrical equipment including four transformers on concrete pads, and 2,417 feet of underground electrical wiring. There would be an access drive on Park Avenue. The solar system would be surrounded with a chain-link fence.

Route won’t include Main Street, which is posted detour with Knowlesville bridge out

ALBION – Garland Miller, a World War II veteran, was an ambulance driver in the Pacific Theater. On Monday, he will serve as honorary parade marshal during Albion’s scaled-down Memorial Day observance.

There won’t be a parade down Main Street, ending at the middle school front lawn due to Covid-19 concerns. There won’t be a marching band and other service organizations for the parade and memorial service.

Last year’s Memorial Day observance was cancelled. This year, the VFW and American Legion are planning a smaller-scale observance, with veterans gathering at the VFW on Platt Street at about 10:30 a.m. The group will then proceed to the Courthouse lawn for an observance at the new veterans’ memorial that was erected by the Knights of Columbus. (The Knights will have a ceremony there too on Monday at 9 a.m. with a bagpiper.)

The veterans were planning to march from the VFW down Bank Street and then turn left onto Main Street. But Route 98 is a posted detour with the Route 31 bridge in Knowlesville currently closed. Because of that, the Department of Transportation was unwilling to close Main Street for the procession, said Gary Befus, who is helping to organize the procession.

The VFW and Legion have a new route, with veterans gathering at the VFW, processing south on Platt Street, then turning right (west) onto State Street, and then taking a left (south) at the Main Street traffic light. They will then march single file down the sidewalk to the veterans’ memorial on the Courthouse lawn, Befus said.

Any local veteran is welcome to join in the procession. At the memorial the service will begin at 11 a.m. with brief remarks from Tim Lindsay, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, and Tim Archer, an Albion teacher who will highlight some of the service-learning projects by his students that have honored veterans.

Mr. Miller, 95, is expected to join in the procession, riding in a Kubota. After serving in World War II, he worked 21 years as a heavy equipment mechanic for the state Department of Transportation in Pittsford and then close to home in Albion. He also drove a tractor-trailer for 28 years and worked part-time for an auctioneer in Middleport.

He has been busy in his retirement, visiting all 50 states. He stays active, and has been in the news for completing puzzles with several thousand pieces.

Toyz n Kandy owner says site connects to nostalgia, simpler times

Photos by Tom Rivers: Dan Conrad is opening Toyz n Kandy today in the Arnold Gregory Office Building at 243 South Main St. He is on the second floor at suite 235.

ALBION – Dan Conrad hears lots of talk about the good ole’ days. Those remembrances often involve penny candy and simple toys – nothing with electronics.

Conrad, 38, remembers as a kid walking to Fischer’s Newsstand and getting a piece of candy with his buddies. Fischer’s closed on April 30, 2015.

Conrad is opening a candy store today. Toyz n Kandy has a selection of sweets and some old-fashioned toys, including whoopee cushions, Friendship Bracelets, toy harmonicas, chalk and game balls.

Conrad tried to find penny candies, but these days the low price is a nickel for small tootsie rolls and Jolly Ranchers. He has an array of other candy with nothing more than $2.

“We’re trying to bring back the nostalgia, the good times,” Conrad said on Wednesday at the site at the Arnold Gregory Office Building. He is on the second floor next to the Tree House, a childcare and kids’ party business, and also Best of Tymes Party Rentals.

Conrad sees some crossover appeal in the other businesses on the second floor. He said the building is bustling with many other tenants.

He sees the current spot for Toyz n Kandy as the beginning of a business he hopes will expand in the future with root beer floats, ice cream and a wider selection of items. He credited his kids, ages 11 and 4, for helping to pick out the merchandise.

He pushed to open today so people could load up on treats and toys before the Memorial Day weekend. He will have a grand opening today from 2 to 7 p.m., with Golden Tickets at other businesses in the building as part of a scavenger hunt with candy prizes.

Conrad is looking to have the site also be a children’s book share, where people can borrow books for free. He also is planning to do monthly craft days, and is looking to be a vendor at local festivals and other community events.

He also is willing to supply candy and toys for birthday parties, private events and fundraisers.

Conrad will be running the store part-time while working full-time for the Arc of Genesee Orleans. He also is on the board for Hoag Library and COVA, and is president of the Albion Lions Club.

“This is just another way to do something for the kids and the community,” Conrad said about the store.

Dan Conrad on Wednesday is shown getting ready for today’s grand opening from 2 to 7 p.m.

Provided photos

ALBION – Students in the Interact Club at Albion High School planted flowers on Wednesday morning at Mount Albion Cemetery. The flowers were donated by Navarra’s Farm Market and Greenhouse.

Pictured from left include Kenzi Hapeman, Emily Mergler, Ally Mathes and Byrne Dysard.

The students are pictured with Interact Club Advisor Tim Archer. From left include Kenzi Hapeman, Byrne Dysard, Tim Archer, Emily Mergler and Ally Mathes.

Former teacher Doug Mergler, Emily’s father, helped with the effort.

Kristen Ostrander is fifth owner in business’s 85 years

Photos by Tom Rivers: Kristen Ostrander is shown today at Bloom’s Flower Shop at 139 South Main St. in Albion. She bought the business on May 10 from Debbie London, the owner for 21 years.

ALBION – One of Albion’s mainstay businesses, Bloom’s Flower Shop, has a new owner following 21 years of Debbie London leading the Bloom’s.

Kristen Ostrander closed on the sale on May 10. She is grateful and humbled to take the reins of the floral shop that has been a part of so many important moments for families, going back 85 years. (Bloom’s created the floral arrangements for Ostrander’s wedding and also at several of her family funerals.”

“Bloom’s will always have a special place in my heart,” Ostrander said today at the business, located at 139 South Main St.

Ostrander, 39, is a Kendall resident. She and her husband Jon, also 39, started investing in Albion about two years ago. They own five duplexes and a single-family residence in Albion.

Leann Coke, a floral designer at Bloom’s, works on an arrangement this morning.

Mrs. Ostrander and her husband turned to becoming landlords and real estate about two years ago, looking to become their own bosses. However, she was still working as a sales and marketing representative for a health insurance company. Her husband spotted an ad in the Lake Country Pennysaver that Bloom’s was for sale.

He thought his wife would be a good fit for the business. She is creative, for years making wreaths, crafts, welcome signs, centerpieces and boutonnieres.

She reached a deal with London and has been running the business for about two weeks now.

“Albion needs Bloom’s,” Ostrander said. “Bloom’s has been a staple here for so many years.”

She is planning to keep the business with the same friendly touch as with London. Ostrander and her husband are planning to replace the floors and paint the interior. Ostrander also has started a “Bloom’s Box” subscription service where people can get regular deliveries of flowers as often as they like, perhaps monthly or major holidays.

Ostrander takes over during a busy time with families wanting fresh flowers at graves ahead of Memorial Day. It’s also dance recital season, and next month will be proms and high school graduations. The summer will be busy with weddings and graduation parties.

Bloom’s also offers chocolates, stuffed animals, balloons, and is looking to add more gift items and candles.

Leann Coke is working as a floral designer for Ostrander at Bloom’s. She said she is having a blast.

“You touch so many lives in a floral shop,” Coke said. “You see so much love, and you can help comfort people in the sad times.”

For more on Bloom’s, click here.

Photos courtesy of Albion Central School – First Row, from left: Hannah Papponetti, Leah Pritchard and Belen Rosario Soto. Second Row: Aurora Serafin, Alyson Knaak, Kyle Kuehne, Elijah Lloyd, Charley London, Allison Mathes, Bailey Nesbitt and Paris Smith. Third Row: Leah Kania, Eli Pask, Zachary Olles, Reuben Rivers, Presley Smith, Sydney Mulka and Colleen Usselman. Missing from photo: Adrian Kingdollar.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – Albion High School inducted 38 students into the National Honor Society (NHS) on May 12.

Split into two in-person events so as to limit the number of people gathered at one time, the ceremony was once again held in the Middle School Auditorium, NHS Advisor Suzane Newton explained.

“It was a night to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of these students in the areas of character, service, leadership, and scholarship,” Newton said. “The current officers led the inductees through the ceremony and we were grateful to be able to have an in-person ceremony this year.”

In order to join, inductees needed to meet the criteria, set by NHS, for their scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

First Row: (left to right) Emily Graham, Kenzi Hapeman and Emily Harling. Second Row: Olivia Bieber, Abigail Allen, Carson Bader, James Beach, Katelyn Beach, Nicolina Creasey and Ann Faery. Third Row: Zachary Albright, Hannah Coolbaugh, Bailey Blanchard, Collin Capurso, Anthony Freeman, Jeffrey Brown, Ethan Ferchen and Tyler Gibson. Missing from photo: Fjolla Bela.

After reciting the NHS pledge, the students were received by the club officers, Alexa Grandy (Secretary), Saleya Williams (Treasurer), Emily Mergler (Vice-President), and Ashley Ames (President), who invited the newly inducted members on stage to sign the membership book, receive their membership pin, and their certificate.

The newly inducted NHS members include Zachary Albright, Abigail Allen, Carson Bader, James Beach, Katelyn Beach, Fjolla Bela, Olivia Bieber, Bailey Blanchard, Jeffrey Brown, Hannah Coolbaugh, Collin Capurso, Nicolina Creasey, Ann Faery, Ethan Ferchen, Anthony Freeman, Tyler Gibson, Emily Graham, Kenzi Hapeman, Emily Harling, Leah Kania, Alyson Knaak, Adrian Kingdollar, Kyle Kuehne, Elijah Lloyd, Charley London, Allison Mathes, Sydney Mulka, Bailey Nesbitt, Zachary Olles, Hannah Papponetti, Eli Pask, Leah Pritchard, Reuben Rivers, Belen Rosario Soto, Aurora Serafin, Paris Smith, Presley Smith, and Colleen Usselman.

Congratulations everyone!

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Jim Horncastle, master of the Albion Renovation Lodge 97, presents an honorary membership to Don Ross on Friday evening, which was also on Ross’s 101^st birthday.

Ross celebrated his birthday at Tillman’s Village Inn with family and friends, including many local Masons. Ross is a member of the Towpath Lodge, which includes Medina and Middleport Masons.

Horncastle and the Albion Masons wanted to recognize Ross, who has been a Mason for 78 years.

“In our area he is very well known,” Horncastle said. “He’s been around for years and years. It’s very inspiring for guys like me.”

Ross, a Barre resident, ran a plumbing business for 40 years in Albion. He joined the Masons when he was 22. He was a pin boy as a kid, setting up bowling pins on two lanes owned by the Masonic Lodge. The members were always good to him, and welcomed him to join the lodge as a young adult. Ross served the lodge in many roles over the past 78 years.

Ross’s late wife, Bernadine, also has been a member of the Order of the Eastern Star for 77 years.

Provided photo: Don Ross is pictured with some of the members of the Masonic Lodge in Albion including from left: Kyle Webb, Jim Horncastle, Joe Martillotta and Tim McGee.

The Albion lodge currently has 55 members.

“We’re here to do what we can for the community,” Horncastle said. “In our lodge there are many wonderful mentors. It’s a chance to spend time with people I consider brothers.”

700 dinners are sold out, drive-through only

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Bailey Nesbitt, Albion FFA president (left) and Samantha Basinait put the secret sauce on 700 chicken barbecue dinners. Kerry Panek mixed the secret sauce from Cornell for the chicken dinners.

The dinners will be served drive-through only from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the high school parking lot in back.

The chicken barbecue meal is back for this school election after being cancelled last year when the election was through mail-in ballots only due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

FFA members Thomas Bentley, left, and Chris Sacco flip some of the chickens that will be served later today for the FFA annual chicken barbecue dinner. The meals also include salt potatoes, brownies, cole slaw and rolls.

The price was increased from $10 to $12 due to rising costs of charcoal and the chickens, Bailey Nesbitt said.

The dinner is the FFA’s biggest fundraiser of the year and helps covers costs for summer camp, jackets for some students, a scholarship for a graduating senior, dues for FFA members, and meeting supplies.

Bryce Wilson checks on the chickens in the hot pits behind the football stadium and track.

Projects will need to meet standards for historic district

ALBION – Building owners in the downtown area have until May 24 to submit an application for Albion’s Main Street grant.

The state will cover up 75 percent of some of the projects with a maximum award of $50,000 per building owner for non-residential projects. Residential projects could be eligible for up to $100,000 through the grant.

The Main Street grant is for $388,192 total and that includes $311,079 for building renovations, $47,613 for streetscape improvements, $25,000 for administration and $4,500 for architecture, engineering and environmental costs.

The village has contracted with J. O’Connell and Associates in Clarence to administer the grant. Two representatives from that firm met with building owners last week.

They shared the building work will need to be done by contractors on an approved list. That list is easy to be on, and the companies need to carry $1 million in liability insurance, said Betty Sutherland, project administrator.

The projects also need an environmental review to show if any asbestos, radon or lead paint is present. Those materials don’t necessarily need to be removed in the projects if they are undisturbed with the work.

The projects, including replacing or repairing windows, also need review from the State Historic Preservation Office. Sutherland said SHPO won’t approve vinyl windows in the downtown, which is included on the National Register of Historic Places.

That prompted one building to get up and leave the meeting which was held at the Lockstone. He wanted to replace windows in the Gurney’s Old Coach building with vinyl, instead of wood because of the lower cost.

“I don’t know who can afford it,” the building owner said. “I can see the wrecking ball coming.”

Bill Bixler, owner of Albion Agencies on Main Street, completed projects in Medina through the Main Street program. He tried to assure the other buildings owners the required steps are manageable. He replaced a roof and windows in Medina, and did masonry repairs. He was able to keep windows with wooden frames.

“It wasn’t bad,” Bixler said about the process. “It turned out nice.”

Sutherland said the building owners could piggyback on the environmental reviews, having one contractor come to Albion and do many in one day. That should bring the cost down.

Some of the historically acceptable projects will cost more than using vinyl or other modern materials, but Sutherland noted the state is covering 75 percent of the costs.

She said the state favors projects that have a visual impact on Main Street, and also are important in helping to revitalize the district for commerce and also for residential living.

The target area for the grant includes both sides of North Main Street between Orchard Street and West State Street, and West Bank Street from North Main Street to North Liberty Street.

The building owners were encouraged to submit bids for work by the May 24 deadline. Bixler said those bids may end up being “guesstimates” that don’t reflect the final price tag due to rising costs with construction materials.

There were about 25 people at the meeting last week to hear an overview of the program and what is expected of the applicants. Some of the building owners were concerned some people would be left out or wouldn’t get close to what they were seeking for their projects.

A committee of local residents will review the applications and decide how to divvy up the money.

That group includes Karen Conn, Code Enforcement Officer Kevin Sheehan, Tony Wynn, Planning Board Chairman Matt Hand, Mary Sullivan from the Village Clerk’s Office, Richard Nenni and Jeannette Riley.

Conn said she would like to see everyone who applies receive some money towards improving their building.

After the applications are in, the committee is expected to meet and decide the grant amounts two to three weeks after May 24. (Many of the building owners have already identified projects and submitted them when Albion applied for the grant. They were encouraged to update those submissions now that the projects go before the local Main Street grant committee.)

The projects all need to be done within two years from the when the grant was awarded. That gives the building owners and village until March 31, 2023.

The village is looking to use the streetscape funds to expand a municipal lot of Main Street, making it also more attractive to host a farmers’ market. The village in the initial application also proposed putting 8 trees, 4 tables with seating, 15 picnic tables and 8 bike racks in the downtown area. The streetscape plan will need to go before the local committee and also SHPO for approval.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – This year, Albion Central School district will be joining the rest of New York in observing Juneteenth, commemorating the end to slavery and celebrating African American freedom.

“Here at Albion CSD we ‘value everyone, everyday, everywhere’ – it is a fundamental part of who we are as individuals as well as a district,” Albion Superintendent Mickey Edwards said. “That is why, in observance of the holiday, there will be no school on Friday, June 18.”

Last year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo designated June 19 an official public holiday in New York State. The holiday encourages “continuous self-development and respect for all cultures,” commemorating June 19, 1865, when the news of the liberation of African Americans came to Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Sarah Papponetti and her mother Sue are out with the Albion Fire Department today, collecting money for the boot drive at the intersection of routes 98 and 31. The Papponettis were on Route 31, just west of the intersection. Many of the AFD fundraisers have been cancelled during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Band also planning for scaled-down performance for parents

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Saleya Williams, one of the drum majors for the Albion marching band, leads the group on Saturday while they prepared to be filmed for an online competition hosted by the Sherburne-Earlville school district in Chenango County.

The Albion band, like the others in the area, has seen the parade competition season cancelled this spring.  Some marching bands took the season off. Mike Thaine, Albion’s marching band director, didn’t want to lose another season after the 2020 spring season was wiped out due to Covid-19 restrictions. That kind of a gap could make it more difficult to keep the program going once the pandemic subsides.

The Albion band started rehearsing through Zoom in January. It wasn’t much fun but the students still welcomed the chance to see each other.

“The kids more than anything still wanted to meet, so we met through Zoom,” Thaine said. “Add that to the list of things I never thought I’d do – teaching marching band on Zoom.”

The band enters playing “Old Town Road” and gets into formation for the online competition on Saturday.

The drum majors – Annalise Steier and Saleya Williams – went over commands, such as attention, mark time, forward march, parade rest and others.

“The kids got sick of Zoom quickly and so did the staff,” Thaine said.

Zoom did offer a benefit of the 50 band members getting to work on the music early. This year the band is playing the popular song, “Old Town Road.” That song is a hit with many of the students.

When the group finally was able to rehearse in-person for the first time on April 15, they were ahead of the normal schedule. They have been in-person on most Thursday evenings since then, with the sounds of the band reverberating around the neighborhood, a welcome sound after more than a year absence.

Mike Thaine inspects the band from the roof of the high school with help from Lyndsey Almeter, the elementary school band teacher.

Thaine and the band have focused on playing the music, without the demands of complicated marching formations.

He is enthused by the group of 50 students, with most expected to be key performers in upcoming years.

The band will keep meeting Thursday evenings through the end of May. They are scheduled to perform for parents on May 27.

Saleya Williams has been in the band since seventh-grade, playing the trombone before shifting to drum major this year as a senior.

“It was very fun for me,” she said about being the band. Even though every one was older than me (when I was in seventh grade), they made me feel welcome, especially Mr. Thaine.”

Annalise Steier, left, and Saleya Williams gets their drum major uniforms out before Saturday’s online performance for the marching band.

Annalise Steier, the other drum major, also is a senior. She is grateful the marching band was able to get together this season, even though there aren’t any parades or travel.

“The best part is all of the relationships – the people,” she said.

Steier started in the band back in fourth grade, carrying the Purple Eagle banner in the parades.

Thaine said he looks forward to getting back to normal in the near future.

“This year we were just trying to do something to keep the kids engaged,” Thaine said. “We didn’t want to lose them for next year.”

Holley and Kendall have a combined marching band led by Zach Busch, a Holley band teacher. The group has been getting together for a performance on June 16 for friends and family at the Hawk Stadium. This will be the band’s only performance because the parades were cancelled, Busch said.

Medina’s band just started rehearsing and is focused on the fall field band season. Medina won the state championship on Oct. 27, 2019, the last time the band performed.

“With the restrictions we were not able to prepare for anything this spring and there aren’t any performance opportunities,” said Jim Steele, the band’s director. “We are excited to be back into the swing of things and the Mustang Marching Band is looking forward to performances next fall.”

Steele said he is working on a way to honor the seniors before the end of the school year.

“We are sad for our great seniors as they had a uneventful and disappointing ending to their impressive career in the program,” Steele said.

The Albion drum line gave a high-energy performance on Saturday. These three include, from left: Abby Allen, Jacob Thom and Aubrey Boyer.

The Hustl House drops the ‘e’ for no excuses

The owners of The Hustl House are working to reopen the former Albion Fitness Center at 12 North Main St.  Opening day is set for May 17. The owners are all cousins from Lyndonville. They include, right to left: John Brabon, Nick Joy and Dawson Joy. The trio is putting down new rubber flooring and has added $10,000 worth of new exercise equipment.

ALBION – Three cousins from Lyndonville are putting their business expertise, passion for fitness and optimism in the area into a new venture: The Hustl House.

John Brabon, Nick Joy and Dawson Joy are co-owners of the gym that was the Albion Fitness Center at 12 North Main St. They will reopen the site on May 17.

They have sent $10,000 for new equipment, and are planning more upgrades, including tanning beds and possibly a sauna. They also have removed the carpeting and have put down rubber gym flooring.

With the gym’s name they dropped the “e” in Hustle “because there’s no excuses.”

Brabon, 29, works as a sales manager at Orleans Ford and has been the top seller for the dealership for many months. He sees an opportunity in Albion for the gym. The population of about 15,000 in central Orleans is currently underserved with options for a gym and fitness center, he said.

Nick Joy, 30, has his own business – the Shed Express – where he hauls sheds for the Amish community to locations throughout the Northeast. He has a master’s degree in exercise science and has worked as a strength and conditioning coach for professional athletes, including the L.A. Galaxy. His passion is fitness and his goal has been to open a gym.

He was getting a haircut next door at Zach’s Barbershop in Albion when Vinny Navarra came in a few months ago and urged Joy to make an offer on the gym and building.

Joy talked with his cousins and closed on the deal last Friday with Navarra, who started the gym and owns the building.

“I’ve always been into fitness and you never know when an opportunity will come up,” Joy said. “My goal is to help everyone be healthier, whether it’s high school athletes or anyone else in the community.”

The Hustl House has added more leg weights, lower-body equipment, a new squat rack, dead lift platform, leg press and machines to work the hip flexors, hamstrings and shoulders.

Dawson Joy, 22, has been working for a local fruit farm. Joy said he is a people-person and often he would only see a few co-workers a day in the orchards.

“I really enjoy connecting with people,” he said. “I’m excited to see all of the people who will be coming in.”

He will be the gym’s day-to-day manager. The site will be open 24-7 with a keycard access system.

The owners have lowered the monthly membership costs to $30. When they open next week, they will have about 75 percent of their immediate upgrades done. Brabon said there will be more improvements the next few months.

Gyms and fitness centers have been hurt during the Covid-19 pandemic with the state closing the sites for several months last year, and then restricting the capacity, or maximum number of people allowed inside. That capacity threshold will be raised from 33 to 50 percent on Saturday.

Brabon sees gyms as a good investment. He expects more people will be looking to strengthen their bodies and become healthier, especially after the stress and isolation of the pandemic the past 14 months.

Barbon praised Navarra for his upgrades to the building. Brabon is planning to turn the upstairs office space into six or seven apartments. Navarra did a great job creating those office spaces and making the building an attractive property, Brabon said.

The Hustl House will be posting updates on its Facebook and Instagram accounts.