Albion

Rocco Sidari remembered as dynamic leader for community, family

Provided photos from Sidari family: Rocco Sidari is pictured on Sept. 11, 2011, the tenth anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. A memorial was placed by the American Legion in Albion, where Sidari was a long-time leader.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 January 2017 at 2:47 pm

Rocco and his wife Angeline are shown in this photo from early in their marriage. They had four sons, six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. They met when Rocco was on furlough in North Dakota during World War II.

ALBION – Rocco Sidari, a well-respected leader for the American Legion, insisted on excellence and service for the greater good, many of his friends in the Legion said on Tuesday, when Sidari was laid to rest following his death on Dec. 27 at age 95.

“He knew everybody,” said Ron Ayrault of Holley, who served in the Honor Guard at Sidari’s funeral. “He was well regarded and well respected. He was a book of knowledge when it came to the Legion.”

Sidari is believed to be the longest serving member of the Legion in Albion at 73 years. He served five years in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1945 with the rank of staff sergeant.

Sidari would serve as commander of the Albion post, and was active in the county, district and state Legion activities.

He was in the Honor Guard until his early 90s, attending military funerals for many of his friends and others who served in the military.

He did some of the thankless tasks of the Legion, filing annual paperwork and keeping reams and reams of paper organized.

“He did a lot of the nitty, gritty,” said Phil Warne, past commander. “He kept everything, everything.”

Joe Gehl, a member of the Legion and Honor Guard, was always impressed that Sidari was impeccable in his appearance. It was another way Sidari wanted to show respect for veterans by looking his best.

“He was very specific,” Gehl said. “He wanted things done right.”

Rocco Sidari is pictured with his grandson Dominick Sidari when a Vietnam War memorial was dedicated in the mid-1990s outside the Albion Middle School.

Gehl also knew Sidari from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, where Sidari was a faithful usher for Saturday Mass for a half century.

Frank Berger, a long-time Legion member form Medina, attended many Legion conventions with Sidari. Berger said Sidari was the glue that kept the Legion running in Albion.

“He was a heckuva good man,” Berger said on Tuesday. “You could always depend on him.”

Berger visited Sidari in early December when he was at the NYS Veterans Home in Batavia. Sidari was in good spirits and his usual talkative self, Berger said.

Rocco Sidari, center, was active in the Legion locally and state-wide. He was a member of the Legion in Albion for 73 years.

Rocco Sidari kept this copy of a newspaper from July 30, 1964 about his four sons – Edward, Rocco Jr., and twins Frank and Jerome – all serving in the Marines at the same time during the Vietnam War.

Legion members said they believed Sidari’s devotion to veterans stemmed from his service in World War II. Sidari was statewide and one of his duties was receiving the bodies of American soldiers. Warne said Sidari was forever impacted by that role.

His four sons also served in the Marines in the Vietnam War, which made Sidari even more committed to the Legion.

Sidari’s friend and family say he was a natural leader. They talk about his “presence,” how he commanded a room.

At 95, he was a patriarch of the many Sidaris on East State Street. The family has long been committed to community service. Rocco’s passion was the Legion, the Knights of Columbus and St. Joseph’s Church. His brother Frank was a long-time leader in local Boy Scouts and another brother Leonard was the coach for many years of the Sandstone Park youth baseball team.

Rocco didn’t let his many community activities keep him from his family.

“He was an amazing giver,” his granddaughter Stephanie Dinwiddie said. “People loved to be around him.”

Two of his grandsons, Rocky and Dominick Sidari, have followed the Sidari example of community service by being active with the Albion Fire Department.

Rocky Sidari joked it was tough growing on East State Street with so many friends and family close by. “You couldn’t get away with anything.”

His grandfather’s example inspired the family towards service, and also for respect for veterans.

Rocco Sidari was marching in the local parades with the Honor Guard until his late 80s.

He also attended Memorial Day events in Albion up until May 2015.

Memorial Day and Veterans Day – “those were like holy days for him,” Dominick said.

Dominick and Rocky said there grandfather could give “tough love,” letting people fail to build character and learn life lessons.

He also didn’t shy from salty language in making a point, unless his granddaughters were around. Rocco never swore around his granddaughters.

Dinwiddie, his granddaughter, used these words to describe her grandfather: “character, love and generosity of spirit.”

Rocco Sidari, third from right, worked he worked as an apprentice carpenter and graduated with journeyman status. From 1953 to 1979, Sidari was a leader in the Carpenters Union. From 1979 to 1986, he was the Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the New York State Council of Carpenters, a group with approximately 55,000 members. Rocco also acted many times as chairman of the negotiating committees for the Local Union, District Council and State Council. Sidari also was active in the Democratic Party locally for 40 years.

Rocco Sidari, third from right, worked as an apprentice carpenter and graduated with journeyman status. From 1953 to 1979, Sidari was a leader in the Carpenters Union. From 1979 to 1986, he was the Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the New York State Council of Carpenters, a group with approximately 55,000 members. Rocco also acted many times as chairman of the negotiating committees for the Local Union, District Council and State Council. Sidari also was active in the Democratic Party locally for 40 years.

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In training Santas, Charles W. Howard stressed a focus on children, community

By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 24 December 2016 at 7:41 am

In this photo, the Santa is believed to be George Cond, who was trained as a Santa by Charles Howard and often portrayed Santa for Howard at Christmas Park in Albion. (Cond was inducted into the Santa Claus Hall of Fame in July.)

‘Overlooked Orleans” – Volume 2, Issue 52

ALBION – There is no better way to reflect upon the holiday season than to recall the story behind the foundation of the world’s first Santa Claus school established in Albion. Thankfully, the history of the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School was recorded in 1966 in Charlie Howard’s own words before his passing on May 1^st of that year.

Charlie Howard was hands on in running Christmas Park in Albion.

As a young child, Howard enjoyed crafting toy furniture and wagons from wood, which friends and neighbors adored so much that they often gifted them to loved ones. His mother sewed a suit for him as a boy to play the role of Santa Claus as he was “a short fat boy.” Wearing a “false face,” his blue eyes were filled with joy but he felt the mask was “more frightening to children than his own.”

He always admired the store Santa, but was never able to work up the courage to do it himself. One year he visited the Merrill & Son Furniture Store at Albion and suggested that they hire him to play the role of Santa while making toys in the front window; he was quickly hired and paid $15 per week. Eventually he wrote to a store in Rochester seeking a similar position and was asked to visit for an interview. After traveling 35 miles outside of Albion, Howard arrived at the store dressed in his suit. The store owner took one look at him and asked “when can you start work?”; no questions asked.

Charlie was so terrified on his first day that he refused to exit the dressing room. When the store staff eventually forced him out, the smiling faces of hundreds of children melted those fears away and the day passed quickly. The journey from Albion to Rochester was a lengthy one, but convenient by way of the Falls Branch of the New York Central Railroad. He would awake at 4:00 a.m., complete his morning farm chores with the aid of a hired man, and his wife would drive him to Albion in time to catch the train.

It was after one particular interaction with a child that he fully realized the significance of Santa Claus. On that occasion, a little girl asked, “Santa, will you promise me something?” “What is it you want me to promise?” Howard responded. The child creeped in closer and whispered, “Will you promise me you will never shave?” At that point he understood that Santa meant a great deal to children, an interaction that led to a heightened curiosity about Santa Claus. He began to study, reading about his origins, and about who he was – he quickly realized that there was more to Santa than he had ever imagined.

It was in 1937 that he started the school, an event that made headline news. His first class consisted of one student, Frederick Wise, a welder from New Jersey who paid $15.00 for his tuition. The lack of response was disheartening at first but he was encouraged to raise tuition in an effort to increase the perceived value of the program. Gradually increasing the rate to $25.00, then $40.00, and finally $50.00, he witnessed an increase in enrollment each time.

“Santa originated in the home. It was best to keep him there,” was Howard’s reflection upon the establishment of the school. With no official schoolhouse or classroom, classes were held inside the family home located at the intersection of Gaines Basin Road and Route 31. As interest in the program increased, he enlisted the help of experts in various areas. Charlie Hood of Medina was respected as a great showman and so his assistance was helpful in that aspect of portraying Santa. Ed Butters of Coldwater, Michigan was an expert in reindeer, so he was brought in to assist with one of the most important aspects of the Santa experience.

During World War Two the shortage of men led to women attempting the role, but as Howard recalled this only worked if the woman had a “deep voice.” One woman had such a voice and was a huge hit until store patrons complained about Santa visiting the ladies’ room! Howard went as far as to try a mail order course, which failed miserably; the spirit instilled by Charlie was the most important part of the school experience.

He told store owners, “to have what it takes to be a good Santa, one must have it in his head and in his heart rather than under his belt…they could take care of that without effort.” From a young age, he realized that teaching the role of Santa was a great task and always viewed that task as a privilege. So important was this role, that Howard remarked, “Show me a store’s Santa or a community Santa and I’ll tell you exactly the kind of store or community it is.”

It is no surprise that Orleans County had the best Santa of all; the original.

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’Tis the season for holiday concerts

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2016 at 8:55 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – It’s been busy at local school districts with holiday chorus and instrumental concerts. This evening, the Albion High School Band performed several holiday favorites under the direction of Michael Thaine, who also debuted a festive Christmas suit.

The concert started with three songs by the Jazz Ensemble, and then four by the Symphonic Concert Band. The concert continued a tradition form the 1970s by ending with “Sleigh Ride.”

Some of the students wore Santa hats for the concert finale.

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Community Action turns former Legion bar into classroom, CATS office

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2016 at 5:11 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers: State Sen. Robert Ortt, right, toured the former American Legion site in Albion on Wednesday. He is in the former bar which is now an office for CATS, the transportation service run by Community Action of Orleans & Genesee. Ortt is shown chatting with Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson, right, a member of the Community Action board of directors. Ed Fancher, second from right, is Community Action’s executive director and Annette Finch, second from left, is the agency’s director of emergency services.

Photos by Tom Rivers: State Sen. Robert Ortt, second from right, toured the former American Legion site in Albion on Wednesday. He is in the former bar which is now an office for CATS, the transportation service run by Community Action of Orleans & Genesee. Ortt is shown chatting with Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson, right, a member of the Community Action board of directors. Ed Fancher, third from right, is Community Action’s executive director and Annette Finch, second from left, is the agency’s director of emergency services.

ALBION – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee has transformed the former bar area at the American legion, turning the space into three rooms with two to be used as the offices and a dispatch center for CATS, the transportation service provided by Community Action.

The other “new” room has computers and tables for a classroom for at-risk students. They receive tutoring to help them earn their high school diplomas or an equivalency degree.

Ed Fancher, executive director of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, and Heidi Wyant, transportation director for the agency, are pictured in a new hallway in the former bar area of the American Legion in Albion.

Students from the Iroquois Job Corps Center in Medina did much of the work, putting in partitions, dry wall, and electrical service, and also painting the rooms and laying carpet. (Community Action hired contractors for HVAC, sprinklers and drop ceilings.)

CATS will shift from Community Action’s main office on East State Street to the former Legion in the next two weeks. The eight buses and two vans from CATS also will be kept at the parking lot by the former Legion. Those vehicles spend much of the day on the road.

Moving CATS to the former Legion will free up some space in the cramped Community Action building, which is currently full of toys and food to be given to needy local families for the holidays.

Community Action acquired the former Legion more than two years ago and opened the Main Street Thrift Store there in late 2014, after the store had been in the downtown for 25 years.

The Legion was given 18 months after the sale for continued use of the bar area. The Legion has since acquired the former Pap Pap’s Par 3 golf course on Gaines Basin Road in Albion, and now uses that site.

Community Action in June started renovating the bar area. The project is now done, except for relocating the CATS offices.

Community Action also has been awarded a $358,124 grant for the former Legion to put on a new roof, add new HVAC units, front doors, upgrade plumbing and make some interior renovations.

Community Action was one of 237 grant recipients for $100 million available in a new “Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program.”

Sen. Ortt stopped by to tour Community Action in Albion on Wednesday. He saw the store which has made more than 28,000 sales in two years.

The store serves as a work experience training course. There have been 188 people enrolled in the program the past two years with 161 finishing one course and 73 completing the entire program.

Community Action said the academic program also has served 29 high school students, and five more working towards an equivalency degree.

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Photo display at Hoag Library in memory of Duann Zicari

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 December 2016 at 4:33 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Several photographs of Orleans County scenes are now displayed over the collection of magazines and periodicals at Hoag Library. The photos were paid for by Duann Zicari’s friends from the Class of 1961 in Albion.

The Class of 1961 also paid for this bench in Duann Zicari’s memory. It was put out by the library in October 2015.

Bruce Landis of Photos by Bruce took the photos and set them up last Wednesday. The biggest photos are 30 inches by 40 inches.

Pictured include from left: Patty (Benton) Moorhouse, Class of 1961; Betty Sue Miller, library director; Bruce Landis; and Marilyn (Mack) Waingarten, Class of 1961.

Zicari’s classmates said she loved the written word, and enjoyed reading and writing poetry.

Maurice Hoag, a member of the Class of 1961, has been a big backer of Hoag Library, which bears his name. He donated $250,000 in the library’s capital campaign and then gave another $100,000 after the library opened in 2012.

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Girl Scouts bear gifts for County Animal Shelter

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 December 2016 at 9:26 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Girl Scouts in Troop 82036 delivered lots of gifts for cats and dogs at the Orleans County Animal Shelter today. The Scouts are pictured with some of the presents. The community donated some of the items and also chipped in with $250 in cash, and $276 worth of gift cards.

The Scouts pictured from left include: Samantha Hand, Rianne Hand, Maia Pate, Alexis Hand, Sesilia Cruz-Kelley, Anayeli Cruz, Lucy Rivers and Katelyn Kowalski.

Alexis Hand carries in a bag of cat litter. There were 300 pounds of cat litter delivered by Girl Scouts today, as well as cat and dog food, treats and toys.

Crystal Hand, co-leader of the Girl Scout troop, carries a 6-foot-high cat tree. She is assisted by Justin Weese, a volunteer at the shelter at the corner of routes 98 and 31A in Barre.

Hand said the community was generous in supporting the effort.

“I was floored by the people and their donations,” she said. “It started out as a little project and it snow-balled.”

The Scouts were given a tour of the shelter today and met one of the cats held by volunteer Amy Weese. The shelter currently only has six cats up for adoption. There were six dogs a week ago but they’ve all been adopted out.

“They all have homes for Christmas,” said Joette McHugh, president of the Friends of the Orleans County Animal Shelter.

The deliveries today by the Scouts have the shelter stocked with lots of treats, food and supplies as more animals arrive in the coming weeks and months, McHugh said.

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FFA food drive breaks record with 33,000 pounds

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 December 2016 at 11:48 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Allison Graham, left, Lindsay Mann and other members of the Albion FFA unload a tractor-trailer truck from Panek Farms this morning that was stacked with 33,000 pounds of produce donated from local farmers.

“This is my favorite event in the year,” said Graham, a junior in high school. “We’re helping a lot of families.”

When the truck pulled into the parking lot at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, many agency staff and volunteers, as well as representatives from food pantries, started clapping and cheering for the FFA.

Emilie Barleben (center), president of the FFA, and Rylie Lear, and Garrett Derisley move 50-pound bags of cabbage off the truck.

The 33,000 pounds for the food drive broke last year’s record of 30,656. The FFA has been doing the food drive since 2010, when it collected 3,000 pounds the first year. That jumped to 9,000 pounds in 2011, 17,000 the following year and 19,000 in December 2013. The FFA reached 27,000 pounds in 2014 and then topped 30,000 for the first time last year.

Local farmers topped last year’s effort despite a drought this year that diminished the crop for many local growers.

Barry Flansburg, the FFA Alumni president, wasn’t surprised the farming community stepped up again for the food drive despite a tough year.

“It’s a credit to the ag community and how generous they are,” Flansburg said. “Everybody sets aside food each year for this whether it’s a good year or a bad year.”

Jared Hollinger hands a heavy box to Clara Stilwell as the students worked to unload the truck in the bitter cold. Students sent out letters to local farmers, and then organized the ag shop at the school this week following the citrus sale to make room for all of the food.

The FFA students were at the school at 7 this morning to load the truck.

Annette Finch, emergency services coordinator for Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, thanks the students for their work on the food drive. She is joined by Barry Flansburg, president of the Albion FFA Alumni.

Finch said the food would go to about 200 families in Albion, 160 in Holley and other food pantries around the county.

“You will help a lot of families in Orleans County,” Finch told the FFA students. “You don’t know what it means to the people and to me.”

Finch was emotional in thanking the students and farmers for the food drive.

“Every year she cries,” said Allison Graham, one of the FFA students.

Russ Peters, pastor of the Alabama Full Gospel Church, carries a bag of potatoes. He said the church is working on putting together Christmas baskets for 33 families. The food from the FFA food drive would also help people in the church and community “who find themselves in need this time of year.”

Rev. William Washington, pastor of the Royal Church of God in Christ in Carlton, carries potatoes for the church’s food pantry.

Adam Krenning, FFA advisor, hands a crate of food to a volunteer at Community Action this morning.

The FFA students gather for a group picture with a thank you message for the farmers that donated to the drive.

The following donated:

Orleans County Farm Bureau – $1,500 for purchase of hams; Triple G Farms – potatoes; Root Brothers – cabbage; Nesbitt Farms – apples; Kreher’s – 900 dozen eggs; Kludt Brothers – squash; Martin Farms – squash; Calls Farms – potatoes; Jeff Partyka – squash; CY Farms – onions and cabbage; Starowitz; Torrey Farms – potatoes cabbage and onions; Castanzia Bakery – bread; Orchard Dale Fruit Farm – apples; Navarra’s – Bean Crates; Save-A-Lot and Tops – Banana boxes; Paneks – Canned Beans and Corn (use of truck); Town of Oakfield – use of wagon.

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Albion district likes balance of college classes and AP

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 December 2016 at 5:13 pm

The U.S. News & World Report recently awarded Albion a bronze ranking in the list of top high schools in the U.S.

Albion outperformed many peers with math and English scores, and its graduation rate.

Kendall also earned a bronze and Medina was at the silver level.

Medina topped Albion because of its College Readiness Index. Medina had a CRI of 23.0 with 39 percent of high schoolers taking Advanced Placement classes. Albion’s College Readiness Index was 11.9 with 22 percent of students taking AP classes.

Albion also has many students taking college classes through Genesee Community College. Those GCC classes give the students college credits, saving them on tuition after high school.

However, the GCC classes don’t count for the College Readiness Index established by U.S. News.

“It’s a decision we made as a district years ago,” Mike Bonnewell, Albion school superintendent, told the Board of Education at a recent meeting. “I don’t think we want to change our educational practice to be seeking recognition.”

In order to be recognized by U.S. News, districts needed at least 68 percent of students to graduate with their 4-year cohort. Bonnewell said that was a low standard. Albion had 88 percent of students graduate with their cohorts, he said.

Albion pushes both AP and GCC classes, offering a balance for students who want academic rigor, said Mary Leto, the district’s assistant superintendent for instruction.

“You also get some intangibles when you send a kid to a college classroom,” Bonnewell said.

The district also reported to the Board of Education that a higher percentage of district residents are paying their school taxes on time compared to the mid-1990s.

In 1994, 13.13 percent of school taxes were not paid. That fell to 10.70 percent in 1996, 8.51 percent in 2000, 6.08 percent in 2007, and now 4.56 percent in 2016.

The district has only increased taxes once in the past decade, and the STAR program has also reduced taxes for many district residents, helping many residents to afford their school taxes, said Shawn Liddle, the district’s assistant superintendent for business.

“It was a good tax collection year,” Liddle told the Board of Education. “We’re glad to see folks paying their taxes on time.”

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Groups pitch projects to benefit Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 December 2016 at 4:21 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Traveling Towpath Troubadours play from a house boat on the Erie Canal in Albion on July 10. They will be back in Albion again next year on July 9.

ALBION – Some groups are working on projects to benefit the Village of Albion with one proposal a “fire and ice” event in February and mural of Santa Claus in flight over downtown Albion.

Energize Albion is working on the Feb. 18 event at Bullard Park from 3 to 7 p.m. Village residents are welcome to put their Christmas trees to the curb after the holidays. The Village Department of Public Works will gather them, and keeping them at the sewer plant until moving the trees to Bullard for the Feb. 18 event. The trees would be burned in a bonfire.

Energize Albion also will have free hot cocoa and cookies. There are also plans for a food truck and other food, as well as sledding and snowboarding.

Tony Wynn presented the plan to the Village Board on Wednesday. Stan Farone, a village trustee and Energize Albion member, said the effort would be an official village event, under the village insurance. Energize Albion will organize the event.

“It’s a good way to unite us and get us out of our houses during the winter time,” said Jessica Downey, an Energize Albion member.

The board agreed to back the project and contribute $75 to advertising.

The board also gave initial approval for a mural in Waterman Park. The Albion Rotary Club is working on the project.

Tom Rivers, the Rotary president this year, said the local club will seek a grant from the Rotary District and needed an OK from the Village Board as part of the grant application.

Rotary also is working on a sketch of the mural which Rivers said would feature a Santa resembling Albion native Charles Howard in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. They would be up high with downtown Albion below.

Rivers has pictures of Howard in a sleigh from when he was the Santa in the Macy’s Thanksgiving parades. (Howard was the Macy’s Santa from 1948-1965.)

One of those images could be used as a reference for the mural. Rotary also is working on getting aerial photos of downtown Albion at dusk and late evening as references for the mural.

If Rotary moves forward on the project, it would need to seek at least three bids from artists for the project. The design will need approval from the Village Board and Historic Preservation Commission.

The Village Board would also like to see the mural part of a greater plan for the park. The Albion Betterment Committee is working on raising funds for a bronze statue of Santa.

The Rotary Club sees the mural as part of the bigger effort of celebrating Howard, the founder of a Santa Claus School in Albion. The mural would also enliven the downtown, and provide another attraction to get people to visit Main Street.

Village Clark Linda Babcock also announced that the village will receive $2,673 from the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council for a concert series next summer by the canal.

The Traveling Towpath Troubadours also plan to be back in Albion on July 9 for a concert from a boat on the canal.

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Albion mayor says grantwriter paying off for village

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 December 2016 at 2:30 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers: The basketball hoop at Bullard Park is pictured in this file photo from Aug. 4, 2015. The state is providing nearly $500,000 to upgrade the park.

ALBION – The Village of Albion for two years has paid a professional grantwriter $34,000 annually to prepare grant applications for the village.

Mayor Dean London said the Village Board has received some criticism for paying a grantwriter that much money – a flat fee for the year.

But London said recent announcements, including last week’s $499,605 grant for Bullard Park, shows the value in having a grantwriter.

“We took a pretty big leap of faith by hiring a grantwriter,” London said on Wednesday evening about retaining the services of Jean O’Connell and Associates in Clarence.

The village tried three times before for a grant for Bullard but was denied state funding. This time the money came through and will pay for a spray park, amphitheater/performance stage, a walking/hiking trail with signage, infrastructure (water and sewer) for the spray park, a utility building, and parking lot and lighting improvements.

London praised many volunteers for pushing for park upgrades. Rebuild Bullard, the Albion Lions Club, the Metro 10 Race Committee, Rock the Park and other community members have been unwavering in supporting the park, London said.

“We worked very hard and the department heads deserve some recognition,” London said about securing the grant. “This is a huge opportunity for this community.”

The grant also includes $166,370 in kind-services or funding. London said the Town of Albion has been giving $8,000 recently to the village towards the park, and London said he would check with Albion Town Supervisor Matt Passarell to see if the town contribution could go towards that local match.

The Village Board also said it would reach out to county officials to see if more local sales tax could go to the village, especially as it takes on projects that will draw people to the community, generating more local sales tax revenue.

The village also has been awarded $75,000 from the state for “zombie homes” – abandoned houses that are not maintained during prolonged foreclosure proceedings.

Albion has identified 43 zombie homes in the village. The state funding will help Albion implement a plan for researching which bank owns the vacant houses, market the sites to prospective homeowners, provide financial counseling for potential homeowners, and pay for legal work to possibly acquire the houses through Albion’s local development corporation (LDC) and then seek requests for proposals (RFPs) for the sites.

London also said the village has secured a fluoride grant for about $30,000 with O’Connell’s help.

Albion also sought a Main Street grant for the downtown business district but was denied in the funding announced last week. London said the application scored well.

“We were very close with that,” he said during Wednesday’s board meeting. “Next year is another opportunity.”

The clock in downtown Albion is pictured this morning after the area was besieged with snow. The village was denied a state “Main Street” grant last week, but intends to try again next year.

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NY approves $358,124 grant for work on Main Street Thrift Store in Albion

Photos by Tom Rivers: A state grant will pay for a new roof, front doors and other improvements for the Main Street Thrift Store in Albion.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 December 2016 at 5:24 pm

ALBION – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee received a big early Christmas present from the state – a $358,124 grant for the Main Street Thrift Store that will pay for a new roof, new HVAC units, also for plumbing repairs, new front doors and some interior renovations.

Community Action opened the thrift store at the former American Legion just over two years ago. Ed Fancher, Community Action executive director, said the agency knew the building needed work, and expected it would chip away at upgrades over many years.

This file photo shows the inside of the Main Street Thrift Store, which used to be the American Legion in Albion. The store has clothing, collectibles, furniture and other items for sale.

The state this year made $100 million available in a new “Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program.”

Community Action sought estimates from contractors for the work and applied for the funds.

The state approved 237 projects around the state. The Community Action grant is 100 percent funded by the state and doesn’t require a local match.

“It allows us to get the building up to shape quickly,” Fancher said today.

Community Action was running the thrift store in downtown Albion before moving to the former Legion, which boosting the available retail space by 1 ½ times. There is much more parking and improved accessibility for customers.

Community Action also is nearing completion of renovations in the former back bar area. That will become a classroom and also the dispatch area for the CATS buses.

Albion 50 people complete job training programs annually through the Main Street Thrift Store and find employment.

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Winners announced in Albion window decorating contest

Staff Reports Posted 11 December 2016 at 9:12 am

Photos by Kim Pritt

ALBION – The Albion Merchants Association announced the winners of its annual window decorating contest with Lynne Marie Hair Boutique taking first place for creating and inviting holiday scene at 109 East Bank St.

The winners were announced at the end of Saturday’s Hometown Holiday event.

Xpress Fitness won second place with decorations that included Santa and his reindeer.

Third place went to Hazy Jade Gift Shop with Christmas trees galore.

Honorable mention went to Tease, with a window display that included a real live Santa, and Morrison Realty, with a window packed with beautiful decorations.

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Lots of Holiday spirit at Albion downtown event

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 December 2016 at 5:14 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – These Dachshunds – Minnie, left, and Moose – owned by Lori Laine of Albion are dressed for the holidays. They are pictured at the Hazy Jade Gift Shop today during the Hometown Holiday event in downtown Albion, where there were many free activities for children as well as deals at the local stores.

Santa Claus met with kids at the old Swan Library. In this photo Santa meets Charlie Coyle, who was born on Christmas 2015.

Paula Brooks is dressed as an elf and Lisa Stratton is a reindeer in this photo taken at Stratton’s store, the Hazy Jade Gift Shop.

Mrs. Claus made ornaments with children at Pratt Works (Knight’s Pride and MMIM) and also let them sign the Santa Scroll.

The snow was coming down pretty hard at times today in Albion.

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Albion businesses have many activities today for Hometown Holiday

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 December 2016 at 10:32 am

Santa will make appearance at old Swan Library

File photo by Tom Rivers: Mrs. Claus is pictured here during Hometown Holiday in December 2013. She will be back at Knight’s Pride today from noon to 3 p.m.

ALBION – The Albion Merchants Association has many activities planned today for the fifth annual Hometown Holiday.

Children can make ornaments (at MMIM), make reindeer dust (at Lynne Marie Hair Boutique), play holiday games, write letters to Santa and eat cookies.

Mrs. Claus will be at Knight’s Pride from noon to 3 p.m. and Santa will be available to meet youngsters at the old Swan Library from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

The activities are all free go from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (although not all locations will be participating the full six hours).

Here is a list of some participants: SnL Sweet Escapes, cookie decorating; Digital Ink Arts, holiday games; Tease, cookies and hot cocoa; Xpress Fitness & tanning, reindeer raffle; Hazy Jade Gift Shop, Santa hand print art; Uptown Browsery, snowman ornament; Olde Dogge Inn, pine cone ornament; Downtown Browsery, letter to Santa; and Save-A-Lot, coloring contest.

There will also be an elf hunt, where people can win a ticket for the reindeer raffle if they find an elf. The Merchants also have a 12 Days of Christmas Scavenger Hunt.

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Strawberry Festival in June will celebrate Santa Claus and Charles Howard

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2016 at 2:30 pm

This photo shows Charles W. Howard with a Santa at Christmas Park in Albion. Howard operated the Park and a school for Santa Claus in Albion until his death on May 1, 1966.

ALBION – The 31st annual Strawberry Festival on June 9-10 will celebrate one of Albion’s most famous residents: Charles W. Howard, the founder of a school for Santa Claus.

The Strawberry Festival Committee met this morning and picked the theme for the 2017 festival. The group decided to highlight Charles Howard and Santa.

Participants in the parade are urged to have a Santa theme, and students who submit artwork for festival posters will be encouraged to include Albion’s connection to Santa.

Howard founded a world famous school for Santa Claus in 1937 and ran it until his death on May 1, 1966. The school has since been moved to Michigan, but still bears Howard’s name and teaches many of his principles.

Michael Bonafede, the coordinating chairman for the festival, said the committee wants to highlight Howard and his love for community.

“We’re celebrating his life and what he stood for,” Bonafede said this morning.

He expects Santa will be featured prominently in the parade, and there will be Santa-themed T-shirts and other tie-ins at the festival.

He also wants to build excitement and boost fund-raising for a bronze statue in honor of Howard. The Albion Betterment Committee has started that fund-raising effort.

The Albion Rotary Club is the main sponsor of the festival. Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self” was personified by Howard, Bonafede said.

The committee welcomes more volunteers to help plan and put on the festival. For more information, click here or call Bonafede at (585) 749-1413.

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