Photos courtesy of Albion Central School: Secretaries and teacher aides at the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School are pictured recently. The district named the aides and secretaries the “Educators of the Year” for all of their extra effort during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – Albion Central Schools is pleased to announce the Educator of the Year Award has been presented to secretaries and teacher aides throughout the district.

To say this year has been challenging would be an understatement. For many, the ongoing pandemic brought with it a lot of anxiety, the fear of the unknown, and uncertainty for our students, their families and our staff.

While many schools across the nation closed, Albion was able to remain open. Our aides and secretaries stepped up, without hesitation, time and time again. Every day they have gone above and beyond to provide a sense of normalcy in abnormal circumstances, creating a safe and positive learning environment for our students and staff while balancing their regular duties, ensuring that the district continues to run smoothly.

At the end of the day, when we think of our Albion value statements and what they represent, we think of these incredible individuals.

Our 2020-2021 Educators of the Year are Stacey Andrews, Dawn Brower, Christine Capstick, Amy Castricone, Rachel Coolbaugh, Cassandra Dash, Karen Dibley, Sue Dick, Beth Dunn, Kristin Ferris, Elisha Hill, Cindy Ishmael, Deborah Jones, Linda Lewis, Renee Liberti, Nancy Lowery, Laura Marek, Sarah McCormick, Sue Ann McGaffick, Katie McGaffick, Terri Monacelli, Nancy Moore, Tammy Neal, Julie Norman, Pam Sargent, Laura Simboli, Christina Snook, Diane Stirk, Jessica Tracy, Lisa Tucker, Sue Webster, Sarah Williams, Tosha Williams, and Betsy Wolcott.

Thank you all for your dedication to our students, staff and community.

This group includes secretaries and teacher aides at the Charles D’Amico High School.

This photo shows secretaries and teacher aides at the Carl I. Bergerson Middle School in Albion.

This group includes staff at the District Office.

‘She’s a humanitarian and a mentor. She has been awesome to work with and for.’

Photo by Tom Rivers: Annette Finch helps run a food distribution on June 11 in the parking lot of the Main Street Thrift Store. Finch helped organize those distributions that began in April 2020.

ALBION – After more than four decades as a dynamo for Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, Annette Finch has announced she will be scaling back and will be in semi-retirement beginning in July.

She started at Community Action 44 years ago in 1977 and has been director of Emergency Services since the late 1980s.

Finch, who will be 73 in October, has decided it’s time she slowed down, but she’s not ready to give up entirely. A team of co-workers will help pick up her slack as she cuts back.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Community Action’s director Renee Hungerford, standing, and Annette Finch, director of emergency services, hold a framed newspaper article written on the agency in its earlier years. Finch has announced she is scaling back her duties, effective in July.

Bonnie Malakie, who has worked at Head Start for 21 years, said Finch always had a real heart for people in need.

“At any time of the day or night or any day of week, Annette would stop what she was doing when someone was in need,” Malakie said. “She would advocate continuously for children, seniors and families. Our agency’s mission statement says, ‘To provide services with dignity and respect to help people become self-sufficient.’ Annette epitomizes that goal.”

Katrina Chaffee, director of operations and reporting, will pick up some of Finch’s emergency services cases.

Michelle Figueroa, case manager, first got to know Finch when she started volunteering in 2002.

“I really got to know her when I became case manager for Emergency Services,” Figueroa said. “Since then we have worked together in a lot of projects. Annette has a heart of gold. She’d do anything for anybody, including her staff.”

“What’s important to me is I have a lot of respect for my staff, and in return, they respect me,” Finch said.

Debbie Rothmund has worked in the Holley Community Center for 21 years.

“What a wonderful, caring and inspirational person Annette is,” Rothmund said. “She’s like a second mom. She’s my mentor. She taught me everything I need to know about helping people, and she’s always searching outside the box for ways to help people. She deserves to retire, but we will miss her. She is a great boss.”

Lisa Wittmeyer has been a case manager at the Batavia office for 20 years. She said Annette fits the Community Action mission to a “T”.

“She’s a humanitarian and a mentor,” Wittmeyer said. “She has been awesome to work with and for. We are going to miss her like crazy.”

Michelle George has been involved in running and growing the Main Street Store since its opening.

“Annette was the principal supporter for purchasing the building on Main Street in Albion and making it the Main Street Thrift Store,” George said. “She was proactive in every aspect of setting the store up, providing staff to get the work done to meet the deadline for opening. “Annette puts her heart and soul into the store, as she does for the many programs she directs,” George said. “She believes completely in the mission statement of Community Action. Her dedication to her job, to her staff and to the customers of Community Action is without parallel. Annette’s priorities have always been quality, compassion and helping others. She directs her programs with those qualities, and their ongoing success demonstrates her excellence in leadership.”

Heidi Wyant, transportation manager at CATS, echoed her co-workers sentiments about Finch.

“She has been a big asset to Community Action and we definitely will miss her,” Wyant said.

“If I have to give up my reins, I’m happy it will be someone like these girls,” Finch said.

Community Action’s director Renee Hungerford is confident the staff surrounding Finch will carry on in her style, with a little help from Finch along the way.

“I am excited about celebrating Annette’s accomplishments,” Hungerford said. “We are all one in this agency, and that’s the most important thing,” Hungerford said.

The wall in Annette Finch’s office at Community Action is lined with some of the numerous awards she has earned during her 44 years with the agency.

Albion born and raised, Finch graduated from Albion High School in 1966. She attended college to study business for a year and a half, and then went to cosmetology school for a while.

“But my real love was nursing,” she said. “Dr. Shifton wanted to put me through nursing school and I never did it.”

In the mid 1970s, she and Carri Blake started the Orleans County Office of the Aging.

In 1977, Community Action’s first director Charles Pulley asked Finch to join him as Nutrition Advocate, where she started a Traveling Nutrition Theater.

“It was a dynamite of a show,” Finch said. ”Fisher-Price gave us Muppet puppets and a stage. Volunteers worked behind the stage and we went to six area schools and talked about the four basic food groups.”

It was also during her years as a nutrition advocate that Finch started a garden project, where volunteers went to seniors’ homes, worked up a plot of ground and planted a garden for them.

“That was a good program,” Finch said.

Another program was Community Action Resource and Educational Services (CARES) where they went to isolated areas of the county, handing out food and applications for Food Stamps.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Annette Finch, director of emergency services at Community Action, is shown in the food pantry at Community Action with State Sen. Rob Ortt in June 2017 when she was honored as a “Women of Distinction” in New York, representing the 63rd Senate District that includes Orleans, Niagara and part of western Monroe counties. The award typically goes to women who own or lead businesses, high-powered political figures, college presidents and others in the limelight. Ortt said Finch, who has spent more than 40 years working with needy families, deserves the same status as the other Women of Distinction.

Finch was instrumental in starting the Clothing Depot on Bank Street in 1979. It was a small store front, Finch said, and people brought in clothing. It got bigger and bigger until they moved to Main Street.

In 1978, they were looking for something to do and Finch came up with a penny carnival across the street in the parking lot. That grew into the children’s carnival which Community Action did at Bullard Park every year until last year, Finch said.

After Loblaws closed in Albion and the building was empty, Community Action ran their first holiday program out of the store. That was in the early 1980s, and a plea was put out for toys, food and clothes.

“For the first several years, we delivered holiday baskets,” Finch said. “Now we have them come to us.”

Community Action also ran a transportation garage/repair shop on West State Street. They had a towing service, which was open to the public, but it ended after three or four years, Finch said.

Finch returned as Resource and Development director, developing fundraisers. She developed case managers and did marketing, talking to church and other groups about Community Action.

Genesee County started a Community Action in the mid 1980s and Genesee and Orleans merged.

Jim Scharping was Community Action’s director when the Holley Community Center was started.

Finch was involved with a kerosene heater program to help people who didn’t have heat.

She used to travel to Foodlink in Rochester and load up the van with English muffins, then drive around and give them to everybody.

The first program under Community Action was the CATS transportation program, which she has overseen for the last 15 years. Finch also took over Emergency Services in Orleans and Genesee counties.

While they were still located on Bank Street, Job Development’s Legal Services was under Community Action’s umbrella. In the early 1980s, the agency moved to its current location on East State Street. At that time, Sid Watts of Shelby worked under the housing program.

As an outreach worker for a time, Finch used to drive through the county, looking at homeowners’ yards. She could tell by the wash on the line and whether there were toys in the yard if kids lived there or not.

Finch recalls when they used to rent U-hauls to deliver surplus food, and volunteers from Cooperative Extension would drive all over the two counties four times a year, handing out cheese, flour, butter, corn meal and muffins.

Finch also connected with the Orleans Correctional Facility for a gardening program.

“They had all this land and they have the manpower, so I went and talked to the prison superintendent,” she said. “For about 20 years, they have been growing produce and bringing it here, and we hand it out to people.”

Hungerford, Community Action’s executive director, said Finch’s new part-time role, effective July 5, will be director of Fund Raising and Public Relations.

Finch said while she is not giving up, she was prompted to slow down a little.

“I still want to see the programs I have started keep growing, and there are still things I want to do,” she said.

Finch said she is proud of the awards she has received during the years, especially one from State Sen. Rob Ortt, when she was picked as a “Woman of Distinction” and recognized in the State Capitol.

Other prized awards were the Volunteer of the Year from the State Salvation Army and the Rosemary Fleming Memorial Award through the state of New York, given for providing administration and support services with commitment, professionalism and dedication to the mission of Community Action. She has also received citations from former State Sen. George Maziarz, Assemblyman Stephen Hawley and Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Hoag Library has a flag from an African-American unit that fought in the Civil War. The flag has 35 stars. That’s how many stars were on the flag for two years from 1863 to 1865. The flag was picked up last week from a textile conservator after a restoration.

ALBION – A tattered Civil War flag for the 26^th U.S. Colored Infantry has been cleaned and restored. Hoag Library officials picked up the flag last week from the textile conservator in Delmar near Albany.

An anonymous donor contributed $10,000 for the restoration. The flag will be unveiled from 5 to 7 p.m. on July 14 at the library.

The flag is from a Colored Troops regiment. The 26th Regiment United States Colored Troops wasn’t for a local unit. Those troops were based out of New York City, although former County Historian Matt Ballard said the group was led by a local white soldier, Charles H. Mattison of Barre.

The library trustees in March 2019 felt it would be costly for the library to preserve the flag and then to properly display it. The trustees didn’t think the library should have the responsibility of caring for an artifact that didn’t originate in the local community.

But the community spoke out and urged Hoag to keep the flag. A donor offered to pay to have the flag be cleaned and restored.

Spicer Art Conservation, LLC, did the work on the flag. The firm that has cleaned and restored many Civil War flags, and even one from the War of 1812, which was a half century before the Civil War.

Gwen Spicer, owner of Spicer Art Conservation, did the work restoration work on the flag owned by Hoag Library. She has worked on many historically significant flags and banners, including a pre-Revolutionary War “Liberty” flag and Civil War flags. She has treated flags from every American conflict from the Revolutionary War to the present.

The flag was in a frame for many years. The white stripes in particular were badly deteriorated.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Members of the Class 2021 toss their caps near the conclusion of today’s graduation ceremony at the Spierdowis Football Field.

The ceremony is traditionally held inside the high school gym. Last year there wasn’t an in-person graduation due to Covid-19 restrictions, which limited gatherings to 150 people. Albion instead recorded graduates receiving their diplomas individually and compiled a video.

Albion for 2021 wanted an in-person graduation with the class together. The ceremony was shifted from the gym to outside at the football stadium when the recent guidelines allowed for bigger crowds at outdoor venues.

There were some sprinkles in the beginning of the ceremony, but many people said they preferred the outdoor setting over the gym which can feel stuffy and confined.

Nolberto Martinez Maya, class vice president, is near the front of the processional from the high school to the football stadium. He is followed by Olivia Morrison, class secretary; and Annalise Steier, class treasurer.

Maurice Taylor Jr. gets a hug from Ocie Bennett. Maurice was one of the 140 graduates in the Class of 2021.

The grads walked from the high school to the football field, pass a line of teachers and then through a tunnel of balloons.

Junior girls carry the daisy chain, including Alyson Knack and Emily Harling at left. Junior boys served as escorts and wore purple vests and bowties.

Aubrey Boyer, the class president, said life can often feel like a roller coaster that goes up and then down, and back again. The Class of 2021 has been on a roller coaster “that goes every which way.”

The class has experienced the best and worst of times. The grads had fun at school with homecoming, and grieved the loss of friends and endured a pandemic.

She told her classmates to look to the people seated next to them, and acknowledge they had triumphed by being there.

“We did this,” Boyer said.

The graduates completed their coursework and earned their diplomas, despite the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic.

“Each and every one of you is capable of greatness,” Boyer said. “Seniors, thank you for the rollercoaster ride of a lifetime.”

Kathy Harling, the Board of Education president, speaks to the class and urged them to live with integrity. Their personal character means far more than material possessions, Harling said.

She praised the class for their perseverance, but said they are “much more than the class that endured the pandemic.”

They will go far in life and have happiness if they put others before themselves, and embrace kindness, compassion and honesty.

Ashley Ames, left, is the class valedictorian and Aisha Drisdom is the salutatorian. They gave their speeches together, and urged their classmates to fight injustice and be a force in pushing back against racism, hate and discrimination.

Drisdom said the class showed the ability to learn in new ways and to adapt during the past 15 months of a pandemic.

“Let’s all be the change,” she said. “Self improvement is always possible.”

Mickey Edwards, the district superintendent, commended the class for putting in the work to meet the standards for their diplomas. He said life won’t always be fair. He urged them to continue to be responsible and find the good in others.

Austin Aman walks across the platform to accept his diploma.

Adonis Guzman Ramirez feels victorious after receiving his diploma.

Sierra Kast hugs her father John Kast who is a member of the Board of Education. He presented Sierra with her diploma.

Kyle Sidari smiles after receiving his diploma from his father David Sidari, who is a long-time member of the Board of Edcuation.

The class cheers on and takes a video of Chris Shabazz who did a dance on the way to accepting his diploma. The class sat in the bleachers while friends and family were in chairs on the football field.

Hannah Brewer

Two of the graduates spoke with the Orleans Hub briefly before the ceremony. Hannah Brewer will be majoring in music at Geneseo State College.

She said the pandemic was challenging, especially with remote learning and being limited to two in-person days of school for most of the year until April.

“It was harder this year but it was also more fun,” she said. “It made everything a surprise.”

Damion Lattimer

She is grateful many of the school activities, including the music program, were able to continue this year, although in a different way than before the pandemic.

She said she will miss her classmates when she heads off to college.

“The best thing about Albion is how close-knit we are,” Brewer said.

Damion Lattimer said he is excited to be going to Niagara University to study nursing. He said he will miss his friends and many of the teachers at Albion.

The pandemic forced him and his classmates to accept change and uncertainty.

“For our senior year we had to just adapt and go with the flow,” Lattimer said.

Shakyeliz Luna Colon poses with her diploma.

Saleya Williams smiles for a photo after receiving her high school degree.

Bagpipers play while graduates, including Arianna McGurn and Honesty Little, walk from the football stadium out to the lawn.

Photos courtesy of Albion Central School: This shows the group that was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society earlier this month.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION — Carl I. Bergerson Middle School inducted 22 students into the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS).

The virtual ceremony was held during the day on Thursday, June 3. During the ceremony, NJHS Vice President Ella Trupo introduced the pillars of the organization to the new inductees.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the current members were acknowledged and recognized by NJHS President MacKenzie Snook. The 30 eighth-graders were finally able to cross the stage as they missed their chance last year due to the pandemic.

The current NJHS members include Mallory Ashbery, Zackary Baron, Oliver Beach, Leo Bolton, Sawyer Brigham, Olivia Brooks, Cassandra Brown, Dillon DiGiulio, Nolan Franzese, Rory Garrett, Tracy Garrett, Alexis Hand, Matthew Kania, Mallory Kozody, Seth Krenning, Madison LeBaron, Taylor LeFrois, Hunter Lonnen, Kenadie Patten, Lucas Powley, Isaiah Riley, David Rosario-Soto, James Ruiz, Alexandra Sanders, MacKenzie Snook, Adysyn Stirk, Tye Talbot, Ella Trupo, Carson Uderitz, Keira Zambito.

Tye Talbot was the recipient of the Service Award for completing 25 hours of service.

These 30 eighth-graders were inducted into the NJHS last year but there wasn’t ceremony in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Once the current members had crossed, the new members recited the NJHS pledge led by NJHS Treasurer Kenadie Patten. Then, the new members were able to receive their certificates and NJHS Secretary Taylor LeFrois guided them to sign the registry book.

The newly inducted members include Kailee Anstey, Neveya Barnes, Nisi Beltran Roblero, Kaitlin Bennett, Elliot Beyrle, Julia Button, Lindsay Crawford, Abigail Ferris, Benjamin Fleisher, Kaiden Froman, Aubrey Gannon, Rori Higgins, Amiyah Jones, Justin Kania, Abigail Kincaid, Hanna Kumalac, Nathaniel Miesner, Madison Muckle, William Plummer, Pablo Rosario Reyes, Alondra Santana Gonzalez, and Joshua Zayac.

Congratulations everyone!

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Dylan DeSmit, left, and Zack Burgess perform with the band Zero during an open mic night on Saturday. This was the first performance at the amphitheater. Burgess is singing “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

DeSmit, Burgess and other local musicians raised money for a grant writer and some of the costs of the Bullard Park upgrades through a “Rock the Park” musical festival. A scaled-down festival is planned for Aug. 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bullard.

Members of the Rebuild Bullard Park Committee, Albion Village Board members and other park supporters celebrated the opening of the amphitheater on Saturday. Pictured from left in front include Jack Burris, Chris Barry, Zack Burgess, Mayor Eileen Banker with scissors, Bernie Baldwin, John Grillo, Stan Farone, Kim Remley and Gary Katsanis.

Bill Pileggi and the band Triple Play perform “Pretty Woman” during the open mic night.

The band Zero led off the open mic night. People can watch concerts in the outfield of a softball field north of the amphitheater. Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza attended the kick off event on Saturday evening. The Zero band members include Chad DeSmit on drums, and from left: Mike Warren, Zack Burgess and Dylan DeSmit.

Chad DeSmit plays the drums for Zero. The amphitheater is next to the playground and spray park at Bullard.

Mike Warren, guitarist and singer for Zero, sings “TNT” by AC/DC during the open mic night. Warren performed for years in the fundraisers to help upgrade the park. He is thrilled musicians have a dedicated place to perform in the community. He said music “is a melting pot” that brings together people from all backgrounds.

Ron Albertson sings “One Way Out” by the Allman Brothers. He dedicated the song to the late Kathy LaLonde, who helped push for the park improvements more than a decade ago.

Ron Albertson, a member of the ReBuild Bullard Committee, also helped organize the Rock the Park festivals. In addition to “One Way Out,” he sang “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd and “There Goes Another Love Song” by The Outlaws.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The spray park at Bullard Park in Albion has drawn many kids and their families since it  opened on June 8.

Saturday evening there was a group of kids cooling off at the site just before a ribbon-cutting celebration at 6 p.m.

This trio is drenched when a big bucket of water tipped, unleashing a downpour.

The site is available from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. There is a touch pad to activate the water at the splash park, which is located on Route 31.

This group is soaked after the big bucket dumped water on them.

Lucas Rotthoff, 2, of Albion has fun at the spray park on Saturday. He stopped by with his family and didn’t want to leave. Mark Rotthoff, Lucas’s father, said he was impressed there were so many features on the spray park.

“It’s a nice addition for Albion,” he said. “There is more here than I thought.”

Griffen Harvey, 4, takes a breather after scampering all over the spray park. His grandfather, Ron Albertson, is a member of the Rebuild Bullard Committee that pushed for the park upgrades.

Members of the Albion Village Board and Rebuild Bullard Committee celebrated the spray park with a ribbon-cutting on Saturday.

Pictured from left Chris Barry, Ron Albertson, Bernie Baldwin, John Grillo, Kim Remley, Zack Burgess, Albion Mayor Eileen Banker, Jack Burris, Gary Katsanis and Stan Farone.

The park upgrades include a new amphitheater and utility building with bathrooms. The village will also be adding a walking trail and sidewalks to the spray park and near the amphitheater.

The summer parks program also will be back this year and will run from July 5 to July 30 at Bullard.

Parlour is base for Marked by Janna and Tease hair salon

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Two business owners on Saturday celebrated the grand opening of The Parlour at the former Swan Library at 4 North Main St.

Janna Stirk (center right) of Marked by Janna Brow Artistry & Waxing Spa and Kylie Hughson (center left) of the Tease hair salon are sharing space at the former public library.

Pictured at the ribbon-cutting include from left: Brady (Kylie’s son), Albion Mayor Eileen Banker, Kylie Hughson, Janna Stirk, Brody (Janna’s son) and Troy McGaffick, a friend of the families.

Banker presented Stirk and Hughson with a certificate from the Albion Village Board for their investment in the community.

The business’s logo includes an image of a swan wearing a crown.

Kylie Hughson and Janna Stirk celebrate the opening of Parlour on Saturday. The two moved their businesses to the former library on May 1.

They praised building owner Chad Fabry for improvements to site, including installation of a salon and shampooing sink, a new bathroom (behind the former front desk area of the library) and other cosmetic changes.

Customers enter from the back door of the former library. Hughson and Stirk both said people enjoy being inside the building, which was constructed as a mansion in 1850. It served as Albion’s public library from 1900 until the new Hoag Library opened in 2012.

“It’s nostalgia for them,” Stirk said about many customers.

They see a much changed atmosphere, with two chandeliers, comfortable couches and chairs, and many large mirrors and an overall updated look.

Kylie Hughson and Janna Stirk are shown by one of the two esthetician chairs in the front room facing Main and West State streets.

The two both had their businesses on East State Street before making the move to the former library.

The love the view of the Courthouse Square and all of the natural light pouring through the tall windows.

Stirk, 38, has run her microblading business for three years. With microblading she puts semi-permanent tattoos on eyebrows. She has customers driving more than an hour from Rochester and Buffalo.

Hughson, 32, opened Tease four years ago. It is a full-service salon. She also does eyelash extensions.

Stirk and Hughson have become very good friends as business neighbors on Bank Street and now with their joint venture at the former Swan Library. They said they have a lot of fun during the workday.

“It is definitely very entertaining here during the day,” Stirk said.

The business is open Monday through Saturday, by appointment only. Call (585) 283-4033 for more information.

‘It’s been beyond our expectations. We’ve been beyond busy.’

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Bobby Skrzypek & the Pedestrians perform today as part of a food truck rodeo event at the Courthouse Square. In addition to the food trucks, three bands performed from noon to 7 p.m.

There wasn’t an official Albion Strawberry Festival today, but the village was busy with food and entertainment at the Courthouse Square and also at a “Caring for COVA” event at the Arnold Gregory office Complex.

Brian Alexander of Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza said the customers kept coming throughout the day, which he said was the first “mega event” of the year.

“We didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “It’s been beyond our expectations. We’ve been beyond busy.”

The food trucks and vendors were lined up along East State Street at the Courthouse Square.

The Albion Merchants Association organized the food truck rodeo with the live bands. It was an attempt to fill a void with the Albion Strawberry Festival cancelled for the second year. Covid-19 restrictions capped the crowd at 500 people and those restrictions have been in flux and uncertain.

Alice Casson, left, and Annette Mannella serve up a strawberry sundae at the First Presbyterian Church of Albion. The church continued its strawberry sundae booth and also has more than 60 baskets up for raffle through Sunday afternoon. Church leaders said the sundaes were in demand.

The band Vette was the lead off performer. This trio includes from left: Travis Mackie, Kole Moore and Alex Fitzak. Shelby Starr is the drummer.

Today was the band’s first performance in front of a live audience since last August during a benefit at the Elk’s Lodge. The band enjoyed playing southern, classic and hard rock for the crowd.

“It feels amazing,” Fitzak said about performing in front of people again. “It’s unbelievable.”

Another band, the Zackstreet Boys, also performed at the Courthouse Square.

The “Caring for COVA” included several food and craft vendors, and other entertainment. Serenity Acres brought along several farm animals including a horse.

Kylie Brown, 10, of Albion pets the horse, “Gooby,” from Serenity Acres.

The Albion Lions Club served up some grilled goodies. In this photo Lions Club member Kevin Howard is grilling sausage while Barb Navarra gets a customer a drink.

Dylan DeSmit of the band Driven sings “Hard to Handle” by the Black Crowes during today’s benefit for COVA.

Arnold’s Auto Parts coordinated a classic car show that included two lines of vehicles.

Matteo Lambert gives his medals to children facing much harder test

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Matteo Lambert, 11, of northern Virginia finishes the Albion Strawberry Festival 8K this morning. He won his age group completing the course in 37:43.

Matteo made the trip to Albion to run in honor of Gage Stacey, 12, of Lockport who has been diagnosed with brain cancer.

After the race, Matteo presented Gage with the cape that Matteo wore during the race and the medal he earned.

Matteo Lambert and Gage Stacey pose for a photo after the race today. Matteo said Gage has super hero powers.

Matteo has been running races for kids with cancer since 2019. He wears a cape with the name of a kid with cancer, and gives them the cape and his medals.

He has now run about 50 races for other people. If they can’t make the race in person, Matteo sends them the cape, the medal and a video praising their courage.

“You’re a champ and a hero,” Matteo posted on Facebook this morning after meeting Gage.

Gage recently turned 12. Like Matteo, he loves to play soccer and be outdoors. The fathers of the two boys connected through social media and arranged for Matteo to come to Albion this morning to run for Gage.

Matteo said he borrows the super powers of the kids fighting cancer for the race.

Matteo’s father, Brandon Lambert, said his son has an “extraordinary empathy gene.” Mr. Lambert noticed it about 2 years ago when Matteo won a medal at a 5K and gave it to a kid fighting an illness.

The family has formed the Off The Charts Club, where kids with cancer are nominated as heroes, and can receive care packages from Matteo including a personalized cape, race medal and other gifts.

Matteo has run races for other kids in more than 15 states. He will be running a 4K race on Sunday morning in Syracuse.

Mr. Lambert said the children fighting cancer feel empowered when they get the cape and the medal.

“They’re getting it from someone their size and age who really sees them,” he said.

Matteo and Gage started talking months ago. The families began planning for today’s race and get together about six months ago.

Matt Stacey, Gage’s father, said Gage was happy to attend the race and see Matteo run in his honor.

Gage is the family’s super hero, showing tremendous courage since being diagnosed with Medulloblastoma.

“He takes it on the chin and is very resilient,” Gage’s dad said.

Brandon Lambert said the kids fighting cancer are all extraordinary. They have inspired Matteo and the family.

“A lot of these kids who have cancer they become leaders,” Mr. Lambert said. “After what they’ve been through they can face anything.”

Photo by Marsha Rivers: Matteo Lambert turns from the Erie Canal Towpath and gets ready to cross the Ingersoll Street lift bridge in Albion this morning during an 8K race.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Jackson Skrypnick, 8, of Spencerport races “The Strawberry” is the last stretch of today’s Strawberry Festival 5K/8K. Jackson held off The Strawberry.

Brett Sobieraski of Kent wore the costume. He is a retired Rochester Police Department sergeant and continues to be an endurance athlete.

About 200 finished the race this morning. This was the 30^thyear for the race. Last year’s event was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Bert Gallmon, left, served as the race director for the Albion race for the first time. He runs Wolfpack Multisport, which manages other events in the region. Gallmon helps Sobieraski put on the Strawberry costume. Gallmon kept the tradition of having a local runner wear the costume for the race.

Alden Cayea of Medina was the first male to finish, completing the 5K in 18:08. Dana Goetze of Lyndonville was the first female to cross the finish line, with a time of 21:00.

In the 8K, Roger Bolton of Albion was the fastest male in a time of 30:41 and Amy Konopka of Scottsville was the fastest female at 34:22.

Erin Smith Casillo heads down East State Street near the finish for the race. She is pushing her dog Ruthie in the stroller. She has pushed three of her kids in a stroller in the race in prior years. This was Ruthie’s first time in the 5K. Ruthie is a Shorty Bull – half English and half French bulldog.

Band and chorus perform at lawnchair concert

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – For the first time since December 2019, the Albion High School band performed live for a concert on Thursday. Covid-19 prevented in-person concerts since the middle of March 2020. Some of the band members on Thursday had just stepped off the baseball field for the Purple Eagles.

Until April this school year, band students were on a hybrid schedule with half the students one day and half the next, and others remote. They weren’t able to get together as a group until about two months ago.

Mike Thaine, the high school band director, is shown directing the band outside the school during a lawnchair concert.

The band performs in front of family and friends who were spread out in lawnchairs in the grass between the middle and high schools.

The high school chorus this year is led by Connor Doran. The chorus last performed in a live concert on March 3, 2020 during a district-wide chorus concert in front of about 1,000 people in the high school gym. The district last year had its last day of in-person classes on march 13 due to the Covid pandemic.

The high school band and chorus performed for about an hour and 15 minutes on Thursday.