Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Mitch Grater and Ed Wolfe flip chickens that are among the 1,000 chicken dinners being served today at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex on South Main Street.

At 1:45 about half of the dinners were gone. The Albion Masonic Lodge is volunteering to cook the dinners and many other volunteers are serving them as part of a Christmas celebration at Arnold Gregory until 6 p.m.

Best of Tymes Party Rentals, owned by Christine Nenni and Michelle Wiseman of Medina, and the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries worked together to organize the “Que In” for Christmas at Arnold Gregory.

The New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, the union representing corrections officers, donated $1,000 towards the chicken dinners.

Today’s event features costumed characters including the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who. They are portrayed by Marcus Cavarello and his fiancé Morgan Waple. Their dog Toby is playing the Grinch’s dog, Max.

The Grinch and Cindy Lou are pictured with the Best of Tymes Party Bear (with Christine Nenni in the outfit) and Albert D. Wilson Jr., pastor of the Royal Body Shop Ministries.

Wilson also leads a church in Buffalo. The Albion congregation meets on Fridays for services at 7 p.m.

Wilson’s grandfather, Roy Rodolph, founded the Royal Church of God in Christ on Baker Road in Carlton in 1952.

Wilson said the new church welcomes everybody and reaches across denominations and faiths.

“We want to show the love of Jesus and be kind to one another,” he said.

There were numerous Christmas presents given away today. Kassie Crane, left, joins Jayda Elsenheimer and Theresa O’Hearn in giving out the presents.

Harley Weis, 9, of Albion is happy to meet with Santa.

John Santiago, 6, of Albion joins Santa on a giant white chair.

There were also many games and activities available in the building for children and families.

Santa was given a ride to Arnold Gregory on a fire truck. Here he greets Albion Fire Chief Rob Conner, right, and firefighter Jeremy Babcock.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – This decorated car was part of the debut “Santa’s Coming Home” light parade in Albion today.

The procession included about 30 vehicles. They started from the parking lot at COVA and the Arnold Gregory Office Complex on South Main Street and went north before turning onto East Bank Street. Then children were welcome to visit with Santa in the Albion firehall.

Rose Friedl, right, and Chelsea Arnold worked together to help organize the parade, along with others. They are shown with Friedl’s display.

They were pleased with the turnout for the debut event, which was organized in the past three weeks.

“I’m so happy and so excited,” Friedl said.

She wants to see Albion celebrate its role as home of a Santa Claus School run by the late Charles Howard from 1937 to 1966.

Chelsea Arnold decorated her car with a National Lampoon’s Vacation theme, including a cutout of Clark Griswold in the front passenger seat.

About 30 vehicles decorated for the parade with lights and characters. This photo shows one of the vehicles turning onto East Bank Street.

Last Saturday’s Barre Lighted Tractor Parade was cancelled due to the powerful winds. Two of the tractors usually in that parade made the trip to Albion.

The tractors turn from Main onto East Bank.

This group has fun on a float from LoMay Mo Llamas in Oakfield.

COVA Ambulance was among the participants in the parade.

This vehicle had Darth Vader spreading holiday cheer.

Santa rides in style on his way to the Albion fire hall where he met with youngsters and gave them presents.

Addie Rotoli, 5, of Pavilion shares her Christmas wish with Santa.

Twin brothers Lexington and Roman Prigden, 3, of Albion get ready to meet Santa in the fire hall.

Photos and information courtesy of Albion Central School

ALBION – Community Action of Genesee & Orleans staff this morning received many donated items collected from students at the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School.

Students in Mrs. Joan Mrzywka’s third grade class and students in Mrs. Toni Plummer’s health class led the initiative. After contacting Community Action to see what items were most needed, the elementary school gathered donations of personal care items, winter wearables and pet food and supplies.

In all, the school collected 218 toothbrushes, 130 tubes of toothpaste, 50 deodorants, 100 pet items and countless hats, mittens, scarves and socks, as well as some toys. A group of students made the trip over to Community Action to donate the items this morning.

Pictured with students include from left: Michelle Figueroa, Community Action case manager; Cameron Richardson, head custodian in back; third grade teacher Joan Mrzywka; and Katrina Chaffee, Community Action director of community services and reporting.

Mrs. Plummer’s classes discuss empathy, gratitude and becoming a change in the world, lessons that play a big role in the holiday season. The giving tree was a great way for all elementary students to have a chance to help community members.

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee’s mission is to provide services, with dignity and respect, that help people become self-sufficient. The organization has helped low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families for more than 40 years.

ALBION – A caravan of vehicles decorated in lights and Christmas displays will be part of a debut “Santa’s Coming Home” parade in Albion today.

The community is welcome to decorate cars and other vehicles and show up at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex on South Main Street at 5:30 p.m.

At 6 p.m. the vehicles will head down Main Street and then turn on Bank Street.

Rose Friedl has taken the lead in organizing the event with help from Angie Wolfe, Cassie Dash, Tim McMurray, Angel Javier Jr. and Kevin Sheehan.

The community is welcome to line up on the parade route to see the display. Afterwards, Santa will be at the Albion fire hall on Platt Street giving out presents.

Many of the Albion businesses also will be staying open until 9 p.m. today.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Bill Robinson of the Albion Lions Club took a two-hour shift this afternoon at Tops in Albion, ringing the bell for the annual Red Kettle campaign. Lions Club members have been there throughout the day.

Last year there weren’t bell ringers due to Covid concerns. Instead, residents were encouraged to give to the campaign through counter-top kettles that were placed in many local stores.

This year the bell ringers are back.

The proceeds from the Red Kettle campaign go to serve people in crisis in Orleans County. The campaign usually raises about $25,000 which is administered by Community Action.

Albion Correctional provides gifts for children of young mother killed in October

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Cameron Richardson, custodian at Community Action in Albion, stands in a hallway full of boxes he taped together and helped fill for families at Christmas.

ALBION – The holiday time is incredibly busy at Community Action of Orleans and Genesee.

As Christmas day rolls closer, staff at Community Action have been taken applications for holiday assistance, packing boxes of food for families and filling bags with presents for children.

The halls in the office at 411 East State St. are lined with food boxes and offices are piled high with bags full of gifts.

On Tuesday afternoon, Community Action was involved in a very special donation.

For four years, the Albion Correctional Facility has adopted a family and provided enough toys and gifts which Santa would admit would fill his sleigh.

Yeshua Nunez-Rexach, 16, and his brother Yelian will receive gifts and toys for Christmas donated by Albion Correctional Facility.

This year, the correctional facility chose to help the family of Cristal Nunez-Rexach, the 33-year-old mother who was killed Oct. 15 on Route 104 in an accident with a tractor trailer.

Nunez-Rexach left behind two children, Yeshua, 16, and Yelian, 13.

Her story is heartbreaking for Michelle Figueroa, emergency services case worker at Community Action.

“We had become good friends,” Figueroa said. “I helped her get clothes and an apartment when she first came to the area.”

Figueroa explained Nunez-Rexach moved locally after Hurricane Maria devasted her home in Puerto Rico.

Stephanie Peruzzini, offender rehabilitation coordinator at Albion Correctional Facility, said they were blessed to have been able to provide this family with a Christmas they truly deserve.

“We love sharing our experience working with you guys, which has over the years has resulted in others in our families and our friends helping contribute with us,” Peruzzini said. “This is honestly something we look forward to each year, knowing we can help others in need, especially with all that is going on in the world.”

Annette Finch, soon-to-be-retired emergency services coordinator at Community Action for 30 years, said Albion Correctional Facility is a great friend to Community Action. She said last year they adopted a family with young children who didn’t have beds and were sleeping on the floor.

“The Correctional Facility went all out last year,” Finch said. “With help from the Emma Reed Foundation, we got beds for all three girls and the Correctional Facility bought clothes and toys for all of them.”

This year, in addition to clothes and toys for the Nunez-Rexach children, the Correctional Facility purchased the family a large television.

ALBION – School district residents passed a $26,690,000 capital improvement project today by a 225-44-vote.

The project includes work at all three schools, the district office, the bus garage, and will put in new synthetic playing surfaces for football, soccer and softball. There will also be security enhancements to all of the school buildings.

“Thank you to everyone who came out and voted,” Superintendent Mickey Edwards said. “This project will greatly benefit all students in the district. We are excited to move forward and bring these needed upgrades to Albion.”

The next step is the design phase, which will begin in January and run through August 2022. Construction is expected to take place 2023-2024.

There will be no new tax impact on property owners. The local share of the project already has been saved in a capital reserve fund.

ALBION – Eligible district residents 18 and older will vote today on a $26.69 million capital project that includes all three schools, as well as the bus garage, and new synthetic playing surfaces for football, soccer and softball.

Residents can vote from noon to 8:30 p.m. at the District Office Conference Room A which is in the back of the elementary school.

District officials say there won’t be an additional tax impact from the project because the local share of $7,195,000 is already in a capital reserve. State funding at $19,495,000 will cover the rest.

The project was identified following a building conditions survey required every five years by the state. King & King Architects of Syracuse worked with the district on putting together the project. Kirk Narburgh, King & King CEO, is an Albion graduate and led a discussion about the project during a public hearing on Dec. 2 in the middle school auditoirium.

The scope of the project includes:

Elementary School – $6,300,000

• Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
• Refinish main gym floor and replace folding partitions with divider curtains
• Reconfigure entry vestibule and finish renovations to the district office
• Replace plumbing fixtures and domestic hot/cold water, sanitary and storm piping in 1955 building
• Mechanical upgrades, including original building wing unit ventilators
• Integrate carbon monoxide monitoring and upgrade building system controls, panel board and switchgear
• Sidewalk replacements
• East side drop-off loop improvements

Kirk Narburgh, CEO of King & King, goes over the capital project during a public hearing on Dec. 2. Here he is highlighting synthetic fields for football, soccer and softball, which he said will allow teams to be outside on the surfaces sooner in the season. Physical education classes could also use the fields, and they could be opened to the community for some activities as well.

Middle School – $9,945,000

• Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
• Gymnasium renovations, including gym floor refinishing, lift replacement, new wall pads, ceiling and lighting
• Renovate pool lockers shower areas, including plumbing and lighting
• Replace auditorium air-conditioning
• Provide parallel pool pump and replace hot water heaters and storage tank
• Mechanical upgrades for electrical room/transformer vault
• Integrate carbon monoxide monitoring and upgrade building system controls, panel board and switchgear
• Reconfigure parent drop-off loop. (Traffic often currently backs up to Route 31 due to long lines. Albion would reconfigure the loop to allow for more staging of vehicles.)
• Renovate playground
• New multi-purpose field surface at soccer/softball complex

High School – $9,795,000

• Security enhancements to include safety films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
• Gymnasium renovations, including gym floor replacement, re-surfaced folding partitions, bleacher replacement, ceiling/lighting, ventilation system and new wall-mounted scoreboards
• Renovate locker rooms
• Replace corridor lockers
• Replace hot water heaters, add additional boiler and replace heating line
• Integrate carbon monoxide monitoring and upgrade building system controls, panel board and switchgear
• Improve sidewalks for accessibility
• Tennis court reconstruction
• New multi-purpose field surface at football stadium complex

Bus Garage – $650,000

• Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware
• Replace large overhead doors in 1997 maintenance bay addition
• Replace roof in 1997 maintenance bay addition
• Integrate carbon monoxide monitoring and upgrade panel board
• Extend paving at bus parking and dumpster pad

Campus Notification System

In addition to the renovations being proposed in the capital project referendum, Albion Central School District is planning to install a new public address and visual notification system for the elementary, middle and high schools. This work may be separate from the capital project and would be paid for using $1,995,000 in funding available to our district through the Smart Schools Bond Act of 2014.

A timeline for the project includes:

Dec. 14: Project vote, noon to 8:30 p.m., District Office Conference Room A

January 2022 to August 2022: Design Phase

September 2022 to December 2022: SED Review

2023 to 2024: Construction

Photo and information courtesy of Albion Central School

ALBION – The Albion FFA held its annual food drive this past Saturday with more than 45,000 pounds of food donated to Community Action.

The yearly event, which began more than a decade ago when students raised about 3,000 pounds of food the first year, continues to have a big impact on the community with locally grown food remaining in the area for those in need.

Students, staff and volunteers spent Saturday morning sorting and loading produce then delivered and unloaded the donation at Community Action.

“It’s been cool to see it grow every year and get more food,” said senior Emily Harling. “When we get to Community Action, seeing everyone get excited is my favorite part.”

First-year FFA advisor and agriculture teacher Scott Oldenburg noted all the hard work the students put into the event.

“The officers did most of the work,” Oldenburg said. “They made all the calls and all the arrangements for pickup or deliveries, and they asked for all the donations.”

The FFA would like to thank the following for their contributions: Panek Farms, Kludt Brothers, Orleans County Farm Bureau, Nesbitt Fruit Farms, Orchard Dale Fruit Farms, Kreher’s Farms, Martin Farms, Kirby Farms, Mighty Acres, Partyka Farms, Starowitz Farms, Poverty Hill Farms, Torrey Farms, Lynn-Ette and Sons Farms, Rush’s Vegetables, Intergrow Greenhouses and Root Brothers.

Jolly old elf will be giving away toys and taking wishes at store

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Santa Claus greets Adeline Munn, 6, of Medina at Toys n Kandy on East Bank Street. Santa was planning to drive around the village and give out presents beginning at 4 p.m. today but that was grounded due to the high winds.

Santa will instead be at Toyz n Kandy until about 6 p.m. There are more than 200 gifts to be given away. Those toys have been donated by community members, including the Albion Lions Club.

Chance Brendlinger, 9, of Medina gets ready to greet Santa.