Organization also will change name back to Hospice of Orleans

Press Release, Supportive Care of Orleans

ALBION – Supportive Care of Orleans, a leading provider of compassionate end-of-life care in Orleans County, is proud to announce new leadership with a deep background in nursing and a passion for hospice care.

Provided photos: Marilyn Almeter-Milbrand has been hired as the Hospice administrator & director of patient services.

As the hospice industry continues to evolve, Supportive Care of Orleans is committed to maintaining its position at the forefront of patient-centered care. With this goal in mind, the organization has selected a new leader who understands the unique needs of hospice patients and the critical role that nurses play in providing exceptional care.

Marilyn Almeter-Milbrand, RN, BSN, MSM brings years of experience as a registered nurse and a proven track record of success in healthcare leadership. Her commitment to patient-centered care and her passion for hospice makes her an ideal fit for the role.

“I am honored to be joining the incredible team at Supportive Care of Orleans,” Almeter-Milbrand said. “I have long admired this organization’s commitment to providing the highest quality of care to its patients, and I look forward to working alongside our dedicated team of nurses and caregivers to continue this important work.”

Under her leadership, Supportive Care of Orleans will continue to prioritize the needs of its patients and their families. The organization’s RN-driven approach will remain central to its mission, as Marilyn works to ensure that every patient receives the compassionate, personalized care they deserve.

Melissa Mitchell is Supportive Care’s nurse manager.

Almeter-Milbrand has selected Melissa Mitchell, RN, BSN, CHPN, OCN, RN-BC as nurse manager to lead the clinical team. Melissa has an extensive knowledge and background in Hospice and Palliative Care as well as Oncology with a strong focus on staff development and education.

 “I am thrilled to have Marilyn on board as our new leader,” Mitchell said. “We go back 15 years when I first started my nursing career and now working together along with our amazing Hospice team has re-energized our staff.  With her nursing experience and commitment to excellence, I am confident that she will help us take our organization to the next level. We are focused on not only providing high quality- compassionate care to our patients and families but also focusing on teamwork and a positive work environment.”

The organization also has plans to change its name back to Hospice of Orleans. “People in the community still know us as Hospice of Orleans. We are passionate about what we do and are excited to go back to our roots,” Almeter-Milbrand said.

Supportive Care of Orleans is actively seeking individuals to add to its growing clinical team.

Career opportunities include:

• Registered Nurse (Full Time, Part Time, Home Care On Call, and Per Diem)
• Home Health Aide (Full Time Nights, Full Time Days, Full Time Home Care)
• Licensed Practical Nurse (Full Time Nights, Full Time Days)

“Our patients come first and our goal is to have a strong clinical team who are passionate about what they do,” said the organization’s new administrator.

Applicants can call the office directly for more information. 585-589-0809.

About Supportive Care of Orleans:

Supportive Care of Orleans is a leading provider of end-of-life care in Orleans County. Our team of experienced nurses and caregivers is dedicated to providing compassionate, patient-centered care to those facing life-limiting illnesses. For more information, visit supportivecareorleans.org.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – RPS Companies of Spencerport is making quick work of the demolition work for the new Taco Bell in Albion.

The company has removed a 36-foot-high water tank, as well as guard rails and chain link fencing at 118 West Ave. Part of the water tank is shown in the foreground of the top photo.

RPS brought equipment, including an excavator, to the site on Friday. On Monday it started taking down the water tank, guard rails and fencing in a parking lot that once served the former Liptons’ facility in Albion.

RPS expects to be on location for about two months doing the site work, including utility connections. Milling at the site is to start today.

Mulvey Construction is the general contractor for the new Taco Bell, which is owned by Hospitality Syracuse.

The new 2,600-foot could be ready in August. About 40 percent of the 1.33-acre lot will be green space. The chain-link fences will be replaced with ones made of wood.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – These Albion students were among many volunteers in today’s Canal Clean Sweep, a state-wide effort along the Erie Canal towpath and in the canal communities.

From left includes sophomores Nicholas Baxter, Zack Baron, Kennedy Patten and Joseph Hartman. They enjoy some ice cream outside Tinsel on North Main Street after dropping off their trash.

They pulled these shopping carts, a bike and four big bags of trash from the canal and towpath near Ingersoll Street.

“It was fun to spend time together,” Hartman said about the trash hunting. “There was a lot of small containers and cups, and a lot of glass.”

Hartman was in a group that was mostly members of the Student Council.

This group of Albion students finds lots of litter in the grass along the railroad tracks near Dunkin’ Donuts. Many of these students were in the Albion Interact Club. Some Albion Rotary Club members also were part of the effort along the railroad tracks from east of Platt Street to near West Academy Street. They filled about 20 bags with trash.

The 18^th annual Canal Clean Sweep included more than 130 events along the canal system and the Canalway Trail. The events are promoted by the NYS Canal Corporation and Parks & Trails New York. There were several cleanup efforts around Orleans County.

Adam Burgio, an Albion eighth-grader, finds bottles and other litter along the railroad tracks.

Audrey Pask and her brother Gideon have filled a big bag of trash. Charles Warren is behind them.

Shania Mathes finds a shoe among the discarded plastic bottles and other litter.

Nick Luft carries a big piece of cardboard found along the railroad tracks.

These trash hunters include, from left in front: Cordelia Rivers, Lucy Rivers, Shania Mathes, Adele Mathes and Audrey Pask. Back row: Brad Shelp of the Albion Rotary Club, Charles Warren, Nick Luft, Adam Burgio, Gideon Pask, Lorelei Gailie, Jillian LeBaron and teacher Tim Archer, the Interact Club advisor.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Community Action of Orleans & Genesee opened the Main Street Thrift Store in October 2014 at the former American Legion, 131 South Main St.

ALBION – Community Action of Orleans and Genesee has announced a new name for its Main Street Thrift Store.

The board decided last year to rename the store to better reflect the wide range of goods and services they offer there, said Jeanette Worsley, case manager and health coach at Community Action.

After running a contest for a new name, the organization has chosen “Main Street Corner Thrifts, Gifts and More.”

The winning name was chosen by Kinzie Rickner of Albion, who will receive a $50 gift certificate to the store.

“The Ad-Hoc Committee which decided on the new name didn’t want to move too far from the Main Street theme, so people knew it was the same ownership,” Worsley said. “But they wanted people to also know it is so much more than a thrift store.”

In addition to being a great place to shop, the store also a workforce development program, where community members can learn new skills and receive help with resume building, job searches, interview skills or obtain professional attire.

Other available services include emergency service referrals, a credit recovery program where Albion High School students are offered individual assignments and activities to help make up credits needed to graduate, and most recently, installation of a tele-health pod where veterans can privately make telehealth appointments.

The store also hosts public events, such as the new prom dress giveaway on May 22, and offers educational opportunities, including a financial literacy workshop presented by M&T Bank, beginning April 26.

Community Action will work with Orleans-Niagara BOCES students to create a new sign for the building.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – An excavator is parked this afternoon in Albion at 118 West Ave. Site work has started at the location which will be a new 2,600-square-foot Taco Bell.

Hospitality Syracuse is the developer for the project on vacant land owned by Landsman Development of Rochester.

The new Taco Bell will go next to McDonalds and across from Freeze-Dry Foods. Hospitality Syracuse will remove the 36-foot high steel water tank from the back corner of the lot, and make about 40 percent of the 1.33-acre lot green space with grass. The company will remove the chain-link fences and replace them with ones made of wood.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Almeta Whitis of Rochester portrays Harriet Tubman in a presentation on Tuesday evening at Hoag Library. Whitis has been telling the story of Tubman’s life for 50 years.

Tubman led more than 300 slaves to freedom on 22 trips on the Underground Railroad, leading many of those people to Canada. She also was a nurse, spy and was the only woman to lead troops into battle for the Union Army during the Civil War.

“She was a force to be reckoned with as most Black women are,” Whitis said.

Almeta Whitis sang several spirituals during her presentation, including “Wade Into the Water” and the “forbidden song” of “Go Down, Moses.” If Slaves sang “Go Down, Moses” they could be whipped or killed.

“Go down, Moses

’Way down in Egypt land,

Tell ole Pharaoh,

To let my people go.”

Whitis said Tubman used songs to let Slaves know she was there and was ready to lead them to freedom up north or to Canada.

Tubman was the first woman to serve as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Whitis shared how Tubman suffered a head injury from an overseer that plagued her throughout her life, causing intense migraines and often causing her to fall asleep suddenly, even when talking with people.

Tubman is revered as an iconic hero of freedom and courage and is due to be on the $20 bill beginning in 2030.

Almeta Whitis gave a high-energy, first-person narrative performance to about 25 people at the Hoag Library. The event was organized by the Community Coalition of Justice.

“We are all put on this earth to be in the human family and to live in harmony,” Whitis said.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Tom Costa chats with Community Action’s executive director Renee Hungerford during his first week as the organization’s new chief financial officer.

ALBION – Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, has announced that Tom Costa has joined the organization as the new chief financial officer.

Costa brings a broad range of business, finance and technical experience, Hungerford said.

He grew up in Rochester until his family moved to Hamlin when he was 12. He graduated from Brockport High School and went on to earn a bachelor of science in business administration/finance and a master’s degree in business administration. Currently, he is pursuing a PhD in business administration.

Costa, a Churchville resident, most recently served as CFO at Normal Communications since 2003.

“His wealth of experience will be extremely valuable as we transition into our new accounting system,” Hungerford said.

Community Action’s finance and payroll team, which includes Danielle Riches, Barb Kieffer and Debbie Schiavone, will report directly to Costa.

Costa said his relationship with Community Action goes back to when he was a child and a friend’s mother worked there. He used to come to Albion and play basketball at Bullard Park.

His decision to accept the position at Community Action came about when he realized his boss at Normal Communications was getting close to retirement.

“I always wanted to work for a non-profit,” Costa said. “I thought this might be an interesting job, so I applied.”

He said his goals in his new position are to get systems and policies in place that are more efficient.

“Tom is going to be a key player in implementing our new accounting system, which will bring us more accurate reporting and budgeting,” Hungerford said. “That will allow program managers to better manage their spending, which will give me the rudders to better steer the ship.”

She said when they strategize, then they build, stop the bleeding, heal the wound and strengthen the agency.

Costa said when he earns his PhD, he will be able to teach personal finance courses and marketing courses.

“If there are ways I can help in communication, that’s a good thing,” Costa said. “Orleans County needs more entrepreneurs in business. When people see that, they want to come and invest in our county.”

Hungerford said she was excited when Costa indicated an interest in the job at Community Action.

“I almost didn’t call him back,” she said. “I was very concerned he wouldn’t want to make the drive out here. After talking to him on the phone, we realized we have a lot in common and a lot of the same goals for this agency. We are both musicians and play saxophone and guitar. I knew pretty quickly I was going to make him an offer.”

Other banners of veterans will go up after Strawberry Festival in June

Photo by Tom Rivers: A banner for Rick Engle is among about 100 that have been on display in Albion highlighting local veterans. Engle was 19 when he was killed in Vietnam on Feb. 2, 1968. Engle’s banner will be displayed on Route 31 near Albion Central School just before Memorial Day. Engle and other veterans who were killed in action will be featured about a month before the full group of banners goes up in downtown Albion, on Main Street and along Route 31.

ALBION – The Village of Albion will put up banners of veterans who were killed in action in mid-May, about two weeks before Memorial Day.

Village officials want to honor the sacrifices of those veterans and send a strong message about the meaning of Memorial Day.

After the Strawberry Festival from June 9-10, the banners for other veterans will be displayed. There are about 100 in all.

The village puts up about 40 banners for the Strawberry Festival in the downtown area. Last year, with the return of the festival after being cancelled in 2020 and 2021, there were some hard feelings when the Strawberry Festival banners went up and the banners for veterans didn’t go up until June, after the festival.

The village started displaying the “Hometown Hero” banners in 2020. The first two years of the Hometown Hero banners there wasn’t a Strawberry Festival. There are only so many poles to display the banners, and sponsors paid to be included on the festival banners.

The village believes it has found a good solution by highlighting the veterans who died in service first. That grouping is being finalized. The village is working with the Veterans Service Agency to check the records. The list currently includes as many as seven veterans who have been featured on the banners in the past.

It definitely includes Jason Johnson. He is the last person from Albion to be killed in the line of duty. Specialist Johnston was 24 when he was killed in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb in the War on Terror on Dec. 26, 2009. Johnston was on his second deployment. He also was a paratrooper.

The banners for those killed in action will be on Route 31 near the school district, where the community holds a Memorial Day service and there is a Vietnam War memorial.

Mike Bonnewell, retired Albion school district superintendent, made the suggestion that the first group of banners to be displayed in time for Memorial Day include those who were killed in service to the country.

“As a Marine Corps infantry veteran myself, I am thankful and proud of each member who gave the ultimate sacrifice,” said Mayor Angel Javier Jr. “Without these veterans we wouldn’t be here today.”

ALBION – The Village of Albion has a new historian who has been deeply involved in the community in many roles.

Sue Starkweather Miller

Sue Starkweather Miller retired about three years ago after a career at Albion Central School as the public information officer, school-to-career coordinator and grants manager. While at the school she was part of many heritage and service projects, including helping to organize the annual ghost walk at Mount Albion Cemetery where students portrayed residents from Albion’s past.

Starkweather Miller will succeed Dr. Neil Johnson who served with distinction for about 40 years. Johnson started as village historian in 1980. He wrote a weekly column, “Albion, Oh Albion,” in the Albion Advertiser for 26 years, compiling 1,313 columns about village history, often highlighting regular folks in the community. He has written books about the history of Swan Library and the Orleans County 4-H Fair.

Johnson was honored with a lifetime achievement award and as a “Heritage Hero” by Genesee Community College and the Orleans Hub for his efforts to document and promote local history.

He teamed with historian Bill Lattin to do an inventory of all the historical markers in the county. They are included in a book in 2001. Johnson was a key force in the effort in 2000 for the establishment of a monument at Mount Albion Cemetery for at least 50 pioneer black residents in the county.

Starkweather Miller said she doesn’t plan on being such a prolific writer about Albion history, but she will put together articles about local history. Those articles are expected to be included on the village website.

Starkweather Miller would like to highlight prominent early Albion residents. Village streets bear the names of those early movers and shakers, such as Nehemiah Ingersoll. She wants people to have a deeper awareness of how the community grew in its early days, and the people who pushed that growth. She also would like to write features about key figures in Albion school history.

Starkweather Miller also is active as a master gardener with the Orleans County Cooperative Extension, as a member at Holy Family Parish in Albion, and also as a volunteer with the Brockport welcome committee along the canal.

At Brockport she has seen how heritage tourism can enliven a community, bringing economic vitality to a small canal town.

Starkweather Miller remains proud of the many service learning projects that connected students to Albion history, including many unappreciated residents.

The service learning initiative at Albion started in 1995 with a project by the late Jeff Evoy. He was a social studies teacher at Albion at the time. He later would serve as Medina district

Evoy and his students were studying the Vietnam War. He wanted students to talk with local Vietnam veterans, and get their stories. The students learned that many of those veterans felt forgotten. Evoy and the students decided there should be a memorial for the Vietnam veterans, and it would be dedicated in front of the Middle School.

Some other district-led projects included a monument to pioneer Black residents of the community that is placed prominently at Mount Albion Cemetery, and a monument at the Alms House for people in a cemetery at former “poor house” on County House Road. This was a precursor to the Orleans County Nursing Home. When residents from the Alms House died, they were often buried in a cemetery on the property with numbered tombstones, but no names.

Starkweather Miller worked in the background for many of the district’s service learning projects, connecting students to historians, and other resources in the community.

Photos by Tom Rivers: These flags on the lawn in front of the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church are up in April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

ALBION – For the ninth year, RESTORE is placing displays around the region to raise awareness for sexual violence.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which gives RESTORE and rape crisis programs nationwide a spotlight on sexual violence and the resources people can turn to for help.

In each of five counties RESTORE serves there is a display of 1,183 small orange flags, including in front of the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church in Albion.

The flags represent the national statistic that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, or 1,271 every day. The displays also include explanatory signage and RESTORE’s 24-hour hotline number.

The flags remain on display throughout the month of April. Additional displays travel across the five-county region, hosted by the colleges where RESTORE partners for advocacy, education and support.

For assistance call the 24-hour hotline Genesee, Livingston, Orleans & Wyoming counties at 1-800-527-1757 and in Monroe County at 1-585-546-2777.