Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Ernestine Freeman (right), a resident at The Village of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion, passes out treats to Tristan Streams of Lyndonville, who is followed by his mother, Mercedes Streams.

Tristan’s grandmother, Alex Powley, is the assistant director of nursing at The Villages.

The site put on its first “Haunted Hallway” this evening and will do it again on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m.

A scary character jumps from behind the back of The Villages transport van. The vehicle had fake blood smeared on it. The Haunted hallway starts at the back of the nursing home on Route 31.

Meghan Clark, the activities director at The Village, welcomes people into the Haunted Hallway.

Proceeds from the event go to the activities fund. There were four residents as “scarers” on the hallway and five others passing out candy.

The hallway had red lights, big spider webs and some ghoulish characters.

Rhiannon Farrell, an activities aide, dressed up as a witch for the “Haunted Hallway.”

Margaret Thorne, right, and Eloise Hagibes, left, pass out candy to some of the children and their families.

“I love seeing all the kids,” Hagibes said.

Thorne said she has always enjoyed Halloween, and recalled giving out candy at the Clarendon Fire Hall with her husband and Clarendon firefighters.

Thorne is greeting Natalia Norton and her daughter Delphina White.

A good-size crowd walks the hallway soon after the event started at 6 p.m.

Provided photo: Albion eighth-graders Mary McCormick (left) and Kendall Peruzzini are shown at last month’s Orleans County legislature meeting with their teacher Tim Archer.

ALBION – The  Department of Veterans Affairs approved an application for a headstone for a Civil War solider with an unmarked grave at the Alms House Cemetery on West Countyhouse Road.

The headstone is expected to be delivered in a  few weeks, Albion school officials said.

Albion eighth-graders Mary McCormick and Kendall Peruzzini spent part of their summer vacation working on the application to the VA. They scoured records from more than a century ago, working with Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper at Albion Town Historian Sarah Basinait.

They needed to prove Union soldier Daniel Walterhouse was buried in an unmarked grave at the cemetery about 114 years ago. Many people were buried in a cemetery not far from the Alms House, which was a home for penniless, destitute, sick and others with infirmities and challenges.

The Alms or “Poor House” was open from 1833 to 1960. The Alms House closed in 1960 when the county nursing home opened on Route 31 in Albion.

Peruzzini, McCormick and their teacher Tim Archer submitted an application to the National Cemetery Administration, seeking a headstone for Walterhouse.

The students’ effort has been highlighted in local and Western New York media, and today was featured in The Washington Post, in an article headlined, “A Civil War soldier didn’t have a tombstone. Two teens just got him one.” Click here to see that article.

Artist paints agricultural, fair scenes to celebrate community

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KNOWLESVILLE – Stacey Kirby Steward completed painting a fiber-glass ox statue that she started working on during the Orleans County 4-H Fair in late July. Steward painted an agricultural scene during the fair.

This week she finished a side of the ox celebrating the fair. She painted a Ferris wheel, a 4-H’er showing livestock with a giant American flag in the background. She also painted fair food, and a 4-H clover.

Stacey Kirby Steward has been painting large-scale murals locally for about 20 years. This was her first time doing a three-dimensional painting.

The ox will keep its home at the fairgrounds, but also is expected to be featured in events to help promote Orleans County Bicentennial in 2025. The ox could make an appearance in Medina’s Parade of Lights on Nov. 30.

The Bicentennial Committee would like to have more painted oxen to celebrate the bicentennial next year. The Town of Clarendon already has purchased an oxen statue to have it painted. Other organizations are considering one as well.

This side of the ox shows a pair of oxen helping a farmer work the land. Oxen were critical in helping pioneers clear land and establish farms in the pioneer settler era. Steward also painted apples and corn on this side to celebrate the county’s agricultural heritage.

Provided photo: Village trustees Tim McMurray, left, and Greg Bennett present a “Community Service Award” to Becky Karls during Wednesday’s Village Board meeting.

ALBION – Becky Karls has been a key force in making many community events a success, especially the annual Strawberry Festival. Karls has been on the festival committee for many years. She stepped up as the committee chairperson last year.

She runs a car show at Bullard Park in September that typically raises at least $2,000 for Hospice of Orleans County.

She also helps plan a golf tournament for the Albion Rotary Club, with proceeds from the July event going to the Office for the Aging and Job Development Agency.

Karls also helps with other events in Albion. She brings lots of energy and follow-through.

The Albion Village Board on Wednesday presented her with a “Community Service Award.” The board has been recognizing residents with the awards every three months.

“The Village of Albion presents this award in acknowledgement of your commitment to serving others and your community,” according to the certificate signed by Mayor Angel Javier Jr.

Gotta Dance by Miss Amy will have 3 cabaret shows, basket raffle to help Merklinger family

Provided photo: From left in front include Gabrielle and Luke Merklinger with their son Dean. In back are Denise, Todd, Lauren and Jordan Thomas. The family has been a part of Gotta dance by Miss Amy for about 15 years as dancers and instructors, with Denise teaching piano.

ALBION – For many years Gabrielle Thomas danced and led classes at Gotta Dance by Miss Amy. Many of the young dancers called her Cinderella when Gabrielle, with her flowing blond hair, was an instructor.

Gabrielle’s sisters – Lauren and Jordan also have been dancers and instructors at Gotta Dance – and their mother, Denise, is a piano teacher at the studio on West Bank Street.

Gabrielle is now married to Luke Merklinger, a Rochester police officer. They met at the First Baptist Church in Holley. Gabrielle works as a dental hygienist. The family lives in Irondequoit.

The Marklingers have a 2-year-old son Dean and are expecting a second baby with a due date of Nov. 3.

The soon-to-be born baby will be named Grant. A congenital heart defect has been detected. Gabrielle will leave on Wednesday to travel Philadelphia to give birth at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She will be there ahead of the due date in case the baby is born early.

Grant will have surgery soon after birth. He has a condition called Double Outlet Right Ventricle with malposed great arteries as well as a hypoplastic aorta. He will likely need multiple surgeries to help him survive and improve his quality of life.

To help the family with the costs of travel and care, Gotta Dance by Miss Amy will be hosting three cabaret shows from 1, 3 and 5 p.m. on Nov. 2. There also will be a basket raffle that day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gotta Dance is located at 28 West Bank St., Albion.

“There are many great things about our community and one of the proudest moments is when we unite to help others,” said Amy Sidari, Miss Amy owner. “Thank you for your love and support.”

She welcomes basket donations for the raffle. Call her or text at (585) 354-232o or email GottaDanceAlbion@gmail.com to arrange a drop off.

The cabaret shows each have about 15 different performers from dance, singing, skits and piano. The three shows are not the same. Some of the performers include comedian Phyl Contestable, the Rev. Mother.

Jack Civiletto and April Mazzone, professional musicians from Buffalo, also will perform at the cabaret shows. Civiletto sings many Sinatra songs while Mazzone covers Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Linda Ronstadt and Patsy Cline.

There is also a GoFundMe fundraising page set up for the Merklinger family.

Photo by Tom Rivers: From left include Gotta Dance owner Amy Sidari, Lauren Thomas and Denise Thomas. Gotta Dance will host a benefit on Nov. 2 with a basket raffle and shows at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. Lauren is a dance instructor at Gotta Dance and her mother Denise is a piano teacher at the studio.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Volunteers joined staff at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee this morning in a pop-up pantry in the Platt Street parking lot in Albion.

Foodlink delivered the food and the distribution started around 9 a.m. There is enough food to give away to about 200 people in vehicles.

The state has been funding these distributions since soon after the Covid pandemic hit in March 20202. There are also distributions in Orleans County at the 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville and the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church.

Tiffany Keifer, right, and Tonya Ferris, back left, both work with M & T Bank in Brockport and have been helping at the distributions in Albion for about two years. Elaine Kovaleski, left, also has been a consistent volunteer for the events.

The Albion distributions tend to be the third Mondays each month. The next ones in Albion are at 9 a.m. on Nov. 18 and Dec. 9.

Candace Casey, right, was back at the distribution today with two of her co-workers at the Iroquois Job Corps Center in Shelby. Casey is coordinator of work-based learning at the Job Corps.

A group of Albion students in the Interact Club also assisted today as well as other volunteers in the community, including Jim Adduci (tall man with hat).

Other upcoming distributions in the county include:

• Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension, 12690 State Route 31, Albion (Knowlesville) –Monday, November 4 at 10 a.m. (Those who preregister will be assigned timeslots for pickup (10-10:30, 10:30-11, 11-11:30, 11:30-12). Preregister at 585-798-4265. Walk-ins may start at 12 p.m.
• Lyndonville Presbyterian Church, 107 North Main St. – Friday, November 1 at 9:30 a.m.

M.A.D. Rescue first recipient of award which includes a donation

Provided photo

ALBION – The Albion Exempts are starting a new initiative to honor a local non-profit or service organization with a community service award.

The Exempts last week presented the first award to M.A.D. Rescue, which is led by Jennifer Stillwell. The organization rescues abandoned street dogs in Puerto Rico.

Pictured from left include Pete Stritzinger, president of the Exempts; Jennifer Stillwell of M.A.D. Rescue; and Dan Conrad, director of community relations for the Exempts.

The Exempts also made a $75 donation to M.A.D. The Exempts plan to pick a different organization each month with the award. The honoree also will receive a membership to the exempts.

“We are selecting a member of the community that does wonderful service in the community,” Conrad said.

The Exempts welcome new members at a $20membership. The non-profit organization has a bar and kitchen at 143 South Clinton St., where there are also pool and dart leagues.

Provided photos

ALBION – Muriel Anderson performed on Saturday at Hoag Library during the Hoag Library Music Series.

About 60 people attended the noon concert. The series is funded partly by the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!).

Anderson plays the 20-string harp-guitar. She is the first woman to win the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship.

Anderson has released more than a dozen solo albums, instructional CDs and DVDs. Her album Heartstrings accompanied astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery.

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ALBION – A music video shoot planned for this Saturday at Bullard Park has been moved to the spring.

Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events, Inc. wants to create a video celebrating the recent upgrades to the park, including the splash pad, new pavilions, amphitheater, walking trail, disc golf course, basketball courts, a scoreboard for the football field, a murals painted on a utility building.

The Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events, Inc. “G-ACRE” has a mission to create and provide for recreational activities, support volunteerism, and improve the quality of life in the greater Albion community.

Photos courtesy of Albion Central School: The PTA, Albion school officials and students celebrated a new book vending machine at the elementary school.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – The Albion Parent Teachers Association (PTA) donated a brand-new book vending machine to the elementary school this fall.

For the past couple of weeks, the Albion PTA has stocked the vending machine with age-appropriate books and, on Monday a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held before the monthly Board of Education meeting.

Albion PTA Vice President Jessica Estela says the goal of the book vending machine is to help promote literacy and provide an opportunity for positive reinforcement.

According to Estela, the plan is to provide each elementary teacher with enough awards so every student can be recognized for their “good” behavior at some point during the school year. Students will be given the opportunity to use either the school’s book vending machine or the book vending machine at the Hoag Library as their reward.

“We want this to be an opportunity that is inclusive of everyone,” Estela said. “Even the children with significant behavioral struggles will have a ‘good’ day at some point throughout the year. The goal is to really emphasize the good behavior and hopefully create a cascade of better behavior.”

Students in kindergarten, first, and second grades will be introduced to the vending machine by reading the book that came with it: “The Dream” by Jason Blumberg. The story follows Inchy the Bookworm’s adventure as he finds through reading and wants to share those feelings with his friends.

Albion Elementary School Principal Angela Conway said it was important to both the school and the PTA that this be a character-driven award rather than an academic highlight.

“Our goal is always to foster good, well-rounded learners,” Conway said. “It is equally important that we encourage our students to be good citizens as well.”

Principal Conway hopes that this program will reinforce the school’s motto: SOAR, which stands for safety, showing ownership, acting responsibly and respectfulness toward others.

Estela also explains that this process will encourage a positive office experience for students.

“The [principal’s] office is often thought to be a place where students are sent just when they have done something wrong, and I really wanted to change that,” Estela said. “I think it’s important that students see administration and office staff as supports.”

“We are happy to partner with the Albion PTA and Hoag Library to promote literacy, inclusivity, and positive behavior incentives,” Principal Conway said. “This is a continued goal at the Elementary School and we are grateful for the community’s support in educating all of our SOARing Purple Eagles.”

The Albion PTA will continue to purchase, donate, and stock books for the vending machine, providing the students with plenty of new options throughout the year. For more information on the Albion PTA, please contact PTA President Beth Stanley at purple.eagles.pta@gmail.com.