Photos courtesy of Dana Jessmer: (Left) Nearly two dozen individuals and their caregivers attended a Christmas party in their honor on Dec. 2 at the Clarendon Historical Society. Here, they listen to Ryan Klatt on vocals and guitar. (Right) Beulah and Pam Jenks enjoy each other’s company during a Christmas party Dec. 2 to celebrate the Caregivers Revitalize program.

CLARENDON – More than 50 attendees attended a festive Christmas party on Dec. 2 at the Clarendon Historical Society to celebrate the Caregivers’ Revitalize program. The evening offered a much-needed evening of relaxation and connection for Orleans County caregivers and their loved ones.

The event from 4 to 7 p.m. featured a dinner provided by 58 Main BBQ & Brew, along with cookies and pies for dessert. Guests were also treated to live music by Ryan Klatt, whose performance was so well received, that he continued playing until 9 p.m., way beyond his scheduled end time.

The event, funded by United Way of Orleans County with a grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Caregiver Support Initiative, provided an evening of food, music and camaraderie.

“We want to get the word out to Orleans County caregivers that we are here to help support them,” said Samantha Koons, site coordinator of Clarendon Caregivers Revitalize. “Sometimes you need time away from caring for your loved one – to run errands, attend a doctor’s appointment or simply take a much-needed break. Social gatherings like this help to reduce stress and foster connections among caregivers for ongoing support. I would like to thank all the volunteers who helped make this event a success.”

The Caregivers Revitalize program provides a welcoming environment, where caregivers and their loved ones can receive support and re-establish social ties within their community. A caregiver is anyone who assists a spouse, parent, family member, friend or neighbor with tasks, such as medication management, medical appointments, mobility, personal care, housework shopping or meal preparation.

“Tuesday’s party was truly a great event,” said caregiver Pam Jenks. “To have a small gathering like that with others who have been caregivers or are current caregivers is truly heartwarming. This organization is unselfish and willing to take time to help others so caregivers can take a break. My life is dedicated to my mom, helping her every day. Unfortunately, she has Alzheimer’s, but her spirit is still here with us. Especially when special events like this include songs from her time. As in her picture here with me, mom is singing ‘Take Me Home, Country Road.’ It truly warms my heart that the little things like this bring her back.”

Respite sites are located at the Clarendon Historical Society, 16426 Fourth Section Rd., (Route 31A), Clarendon, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays; and at Christ Episcopal Church, 26 South Main St., Albion (Park Street entrance only) from 1 to 4 p.m. on Thursdays. Both sites are closed on holidays.

For more information about respite sites or volunteer opportunities, call (585) 209-9151 or (585) 208-4999; or e-mail Caregiversrevitalize@gmail.com. They can also be followed on Facebook at Caregivers Revitalize – Orleans County, NY.

Photos by Tom Rivers

CLARENDON – Santa waves to people along Route 237 in Clarendon during a lighted parade on Friday night. He was able to ride on Clarendon’s ladder truck.

The fifth annual parade started at the fire hall on Route 31A, then went through the town’s main intersection and took a right turn onto Route 237, and then a left on Church Street to the Historical Society.

Santa was able to ride up high on the fire truck, waving to people who braved the cold temperatures for the parade.

Megan Rombaut drives this tractor from Rombaut Repair and Landscape.

The Holley Interact Club at the school district brought a contingent of kids for the parade.

Apollo Wilmot, 7, shares a Christmas wish list with Santa in the Clarendon Historical Society museum.

Town Historian Melissa Ierlan holds her granddaughter Rylie next to an ox statue that Ierlan covered with photos from Clarendon as part of the Orleans County Bicentennial celebration this year.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office led off the parade with a contingent of vehicles.

The Boy Scouts carried the colors – American flag and one for the Boy Scouts.

Girl Scouts had a float in the parade and they promoted an upcoming cookie sale.

The Grinch was back in the parade and handed out onions to people along the route.

The Murray Joint Fire District participated in the parade and put some Christmas lights on a fire truck.

Stonehill Farms joined the parade the procession.

Albion and Barre host parades on Dec. 13

Photos by Tom Rivers: Clarendon’s lighted parade on Dec. 6, 2024 included this goat, shown rounding the corner from Route 31A onto Route 237.

There are three more lighted parades this holiday season in Orleans County following Medina’s Parade of Lights this past Saturday.

Clarendon’s parade is today starting at 7 at the fire hall on Route 31A. The route then goes through the town’s main intersection, takes a right turn onto Route 237, and then a left on Church Street to the Historical Society.

Santa will then greet people at the museum in Clarendon.

Barre also will be hosting its eighth annual lighted tractor parade at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 13. The parade starts on Route 98 at East Barre Road and goes north on 98 to the Barre Town Park.

Albion is hosting Charles W. Howard’s Hometown Parade at 6 p.m. on Dec. 13. The parade starts and ends at Dubby’s Tailgate on Platt Street. The route goes on Route 31 heading west, turns right on Main Street, right on State Street and then right on Platt Street.

Santa rides on a trailer pulled by a tractor in last year’s Barre Tractor Parade.

Provided photo

CLARENDON – Scouts from Troop 59 in Clarendon were out this morning in the annual “Scouting for Food.” They collected over 600 individual food items.

“We would like to thank the Community for their enormous support and the Community Center in Holley for distributing this food in a time of great need,” said Randy Moore, the troop’s scoutmaster.

Pictured from left are: Tyler Moore, Logan Lane, James Shaw, Scoutmaster Randy Moore and Committee Chairman Ken Shaw.

Residents could hook into system that would run along 31A, Bennetts Corners Road

Photos by Tom Rivers: Matt Zarbo, director of engineering for Square Engineering in Buffalo, discusses constructing a sewer line from the Heron Falls park on Route 31A and connect with the Village of Holley sewer system on Bennetts Corners Road near Route 31.

CLARENDON – Heron Falls is offering to spend $2 million to extend public sewers in the town by about 2 miles.

Heron Falls has about 400 housing units and 800 residents. The park on Route 31A, formerly called Thomas Estates, wants to decommission its aging wastewater treatment system on site and instead run a 4-inch sewer line to connect with Holley’s sewer system.

Heron Falls would pay for the new sewer lines and a pump station, and then turn the project over to the Village of Holley. Residents along 1,650 feet on Route 31A and then 9,150 feet along Bennetts Corners Road would have the option to connect to the sewer system, but wouldn’t be required.

During an information meeting about the project on Monday, some Bennetts Corners Road residents – Dan Cater, Katie Applegate and Charles Kinsey – said they were concerned the public sewer line would bring more development to the rural road which they said already sees lots of speeding motorists.

Cater said the construction of the project could have negative impacts on properties, and he also worries potential leaks in the sewer line could contaminate well water.

“I only see negatives,” Cater said during the meeting. “I only see negatives for my family and neighbors.”

Matt Zarbo shows how the proposed sewer line would go east 1,650 feet along Route 31A, and then north 9,150 feet along Bennetts Corners Road.

Matt Zarbo, an engineer working as a consultant for Heron Falls, said the sewer line is safer than having septic near wells. He said there is very little chance the sewer line would leak. The sewer line should last for a century.

The project would use directional drilling to minimize construction impacts, he said.

Applegate said the rural nature of the community is a big draw for the residents.

“I don’t want to see development on Bennetts Corners,” she said. “It would decimate the peacefulness we have in that area.”

The project would give the village of Holley more sewer users to help the village pay for its sewer plant, which recently completed over $2 million in upgrades.

Holley’s sewer plant currently treats about 210,000 gallons a day. Heron Falls would send another 38,000 to 70,000 a gallons to Holley’s plant which has a capacity to treat 450,000 gallons a day. Even with Heron Falls, Holley would have plenty of capacity to accommodate other users, said Aric Albright, the sewer plant chief operator.

The project needs the Clarendon Town Board’s approval to proceed. Town Supervisor Marc Major said he wants the board to consider the comments made during the meeting. The board hasn’t set a date on when it will vote on the issue.

Major said residents can check the Town Board agenda and attend upcoming meetings. The regular town board meetings are the third Tuesday each month beginning at 7 p.m.

Matt Zarbo speaks during a public information meeting on Monday at the Clarendon Town Hall. About 25 people attended the meeting. Town Supervisor Marc Major said the board would discuss the issue in an upcoming meeting.

If the town doesn’t allow the sewer project, Zarbo said Heron Falls would have to spend more to put in a new waste water treatment facility, and would need to pay an operator for the system. That would also mean there wouldn’t be a new sewer line over about 2 miles for residents to have the option to tap into, and Holley wouldn’t get the sewer revenue from Heron Falls.

The proposal to run a sewer line and connect to Holley’s system is the best option for Heron Falls residents, Zarbo said, while offering a benefit for residents along the line and the Village of Holley.

“We view this as a win, win, win,” Zarbo said about the benefits for Heron Falls, Clarendon and Holley.

A Heron Falls representative said the park has no plans of expanding and adding more units as part of the proposed sewer project.

Heron Falls is working to have all the approvals in place between now and February, so construction can start in the spring and be done in the fall 2026. It has an agreement with Holley to connect into the sewer system. Heron Falls also is working with the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Transportation to get their approval.

Clarendon historian shows students bicentennial ox, historic jail cell

Photos courtesy of Tim Archer

CLARENDON – A group of Albion Middle School students recently had a memorable trip to Clarendon with Town Historian Melissa Ierlan.

Ierlan has repainted about 40 historical markers in the community in recent years and hse put the students to work on four of them.

The photo at top shows eighth graders Jeffrey Echevarría, Daniel Dash, Brian Patten and Caleb Wolf.

Ierlan also showed the students the progress on decorating a fiberglass ox with historic photos from Clarendon. This ox is part of a celebration of Orleans County’s 200^th anniversary this year. Ierlan is a member of the Bicentennial Committee.

The students toured the Clarendon Historical Society and saw old farm implements and a 100-year-old jail cell.

Photos courtesy of Susan Starkweather Miller

CLARENDON – Melissa Ierlan is shown leading a tour of Robinson Cemetery on Route 237 near Glidden Road last Sunday.

The tour was sponsored by the Orleans County Historical Association.

Some of the notable burials at Robinson Cemetery include:

• Chauncey Robinson (1792-1866): Veteran, War of 1812; Abolitionist
• William Lewis (1787-1826): First Sheriff of Orleans County
• John Dodge (1749-1830): Veteran, American Revolution
• Samuel Milliken (1752-1842): Veteran, American Revolution
• Thomas McManners: Escaped Slave; Veteran, American Revolution
• Shubael Lewis (1785-1861): Colonel, New York State Militia

Melissa Ierlan, the town of Clarendon historian, served as the guide of the tour at Robinson Cemetery on Aug. 10.

The Orleans County Historical Association has tours every Sunday evening beginning at 6 p.m. in August. Mount Albion was the first to be featured on Aug. 3, followed by Robinson on Aug. 10. The tours are free with goodwill donations accepted.

The remaining schedule includes:

• Millville Cemetery today at 4394 East Shelby Rd., Medina. Highlights will be a visit to the wooden chapel/memorial vault and a tour of some of the impressive monuments, including the gravestone of Asa Hill, a Civil War soldier who suffered amputation of a leg, yet returned to run the family farm a few short miles west of the cemetery.
• The tour on Aug. 24 Greenwood Cemetery, 16670 Roosevelt Highway/Route 18, Kendall, will focus on the first Norwegian settlement in the United States in 1825 in Kendall. Orleans County historian Catherine Cooper will lead this tour.
• Aug. 31 at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, 581 East Ave., Albion, will conclude the series of tours. Catherine Cooper and Sue Starkweather Miller will lead the tour, which will include a visit to the chapel to view the beautiful interior stained glass windows, and stops at several prominent gravesites.

Photos by Tom Rivers

CLARENDON – A fast-moving fire this morning devoured a garage and badly damaged a house at 17195 Elizabeth Drive.

The residents of the home safely got out and no one was injured from the fire.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 9:30 a.m. for reports of an attached garage fire spreading to the house. The garage at right in photo was totally destroyed from the fire.

Elizabeth Drive is located off Hall Road on the eastern end of Clarendon. This home was about 800 feet off Elizabeth on a private drive.

Multiple fire departments responded to the scene including Clarendon, Murray, Brockport, Spencerport, South Byron, Barre and Kendall.

Orleans County fire investigators also are at the scene.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Richard Moy is shown with State Sen. Robert Ortt after the Kendall carnival on June 26.

CLARENDON – Richard Moy, the dean of the town supervisors in Orleans County, has retired after 24 years of leading the Clarendon town government.

Moy stepped back from the position on May 31. Marc Major, a Clarendon town councilman, is serving as acting town supervisor for the rest of Moy’s term through Dec. 31. Frederick Seeman III was appointed to fill Major’s spot as councilman with the term to expire Dec. 31.

Moy led the town is adding several new water districts, with public water extended into the town through districts 6 through 13.

“Only a small part of town that isn’t covered with public water,” Moy said. “It’s in the works, we just haven’t got the grant money. That’s a lot of work, let me tell you.”

Moy said he tried hard to keep town taxes in check. When he started the town tax rate was $.519 per $1,000 of assessed property. In 2025, the rate is $4.29.

Before becoming town supervisor, Moy was one of three assessors for Clarendon. He did that for six years. He also worked for Kodak for 34 years as a manager.

Moy said his experience at Kodak helped him as the town chief financial officer and with managing the town employees.

Moy said Clarendon has very dedicated employees, and he will miss the camaraderie at the town hall.

Richard Moy

“The staff at our town is just outstanding, every one of them,” he said. “That’s what I’ll miss the most – working with those people. They are the best of the best.”

Moy, 82, said he has been working steady for more than seven decades. It started with a paper route when was 10 and had 125 customers.

“It’s been 72 years of work,” Moy said. “It’s time to quit.”

Moy is proud of his Clarendon roots, which go all the way back to the town’s founder, Eldridge Farwell. Moy’s uncle, Jake May, was the town supervisor when Moy was a child.

“I’ve been going to town board meetings since I was a young kid,” he said.

Many people don’t relish board meetings, but Moy enjoyed the process, and helping to move Clarendon forward.

“I like to know what’s going on,” he said. “In that job you get to know what’s going on and see how government works. Very few people know it and all the rules and what people can do.”

Moy sees an engaged community that turns out for events, including the lighted Christmas parade. Moy and his wife Sady decorated a golf cart in lights and rode in that parade from the Clarendon fire hall to the town museum next to the town hall.

That route goes by the old stone store from the 1840s, a building in disrepair that the town purchased in 2018, and is now better maintained for the town historian’s records and collection.

Moy said the town is in good hands with Major as town supervisor.

“He is very detail oriented,” Moy said. “He does his research. I think he’ll do very well.”

Photos courtesy of Randy Moore, scoutmaster of Troop 59

CLARENDON – Scouts and other volunteers this evening placed more than 600 flags at veterans’ graves at Hillside Cemetery in Clarendon.

The troop was joined by Scott Galliford, Jim Gommenginger and Christine Hunt from the American Legion.

Pictured in the group photo include James Shaw, Ken Shaw, Ryker Knight, Randy Moore, Logan Lane, Jim Gommenginger, Wayne Thorn and Scott Galliford.

These Scouts include from left, Logan Lane, James Shaw and Ryker Knight.

CLARENDON – The Clarendon Boy Scout Troop 59 welcomes the community for an Easter egg hunt on Sunday at the Disciples United Methodist Church, 4410 Holley-Byron Rd.

The Scouts have led the egg hunt the past four years and usually have 35 to 40 kids at the event, said Randy Moore, the scoutmaster.

The egg hunt is free to kids ages 3 to 10 and starts at 1 p.m. It is sponsored by the Boy Scout Troop, Disciples United Methodist Church and Clarendon Historical Society.

“Besides candy, kids can find a select few eggs that are redeemable for baskets donated by local businesses and people,” Moore said.

Eddie Hilfiker of Who Dats thankful for life-saving actions

Photos by Tom Rivers: Eddie Hilfiker, guitarist for the Who Dats, attended Saturday’s awards banquet for the Clarendon and Murray fire companies and districts to thank the responders who saved his life on Feb. 8 after he had a heart attack.

CLARENDON – Eddie Hilfiker was packing up his guitars on Feb. 8, 2025 after a three-hour concert at the Clarendon Rec Hall with the Who Dats.

Hulfiker, 74, has played with the popular local band for the past 20 years. The Holley resident has been playing music since he was 13.

John Borello, left, and Ed Hilfiker, guitarists with The Who Dats, perform at the Orleans County 4-H Fair in this photo from July 2015. Hilfiker is an iconic figure locally with the band and is known for his hats while playing with the band.

A cold wintry night made for a smaller-than-expected crowd at the rec hall for a steak dinner and concert. The Who Dats usually bring in lots of people for their concerts.

Hilfiker was the last one in the rec hall’s main room. Everyone else was gone.

There were six people back in the bar, cleaning up.

One of them walked down the hallway to the main room and saw Hilfiker on the floor and unresponsive. The entire group was called and they performed CPR and shocked Hilfiker’s heart with an AED. They called for more help from Mercy Ambulance and other firefighters.

Hilfiker’s heart started beating and he would survive. He was talking with medics as they took him out of the rec hall and to Strong Memorial Hospital.

He would have quadruple bypass surgery and is taking medication for his heart. Hilfiker said he expects to be back performing with the Who Dats soon. He may use a stool while he plays the guitar instead of standing for the entire three to four hours like most of their concerts.

Hilfiker on Saturday attended the annual banquet for the Murray and Clarendon fire companies and districts. Clarendon Fire Chief Bob Freida and Murray Fire Chief Rick Cary presented “Lifesaving” awards to 12 people for their quick response that night. The awards credit the responders for their “fast thinking and swift, professional action on Feb. 8, 2025 leading to the saving another human life.”

The responders hadn’t trained together before as a unit, yet they did everything with precision to save Hilfiker, Freida said.

“The teamwork was amazing,” he said.

The following were recognized on Saturday during a banquet at the Clarendon rec hall for life-saving actions on Feb. 8. pictured from left, in front, include Mercy medic Mike Senebeck, Mercy paramedic Brittani Mack, Murray firefighter Jenna Amering, Murray firefighter Dan Schiavone, Clarendon past chief Jim DeYoung, Murray firefighter Colton Tuttle, East Pembroke firefighter Joey Gibson (grandson of DeYoung), Clarendon Fire Chief Robert Freida, and Murray Deputy Chief Peter Hendrickson. In back include: Mercy medic James Fisher, Murray Assistant Chief Kevin Dann, Murray Town Supervisor Gerald Rightmyer, Rochester police officer Liza Dann, Clarendon Town Councilman Chris Caulfield and Fran Gaylord, past chief for Murray.

Hilfiker attended the banquet on Saturday and thanked the responders for being there for him.

“Without them I’d be dead,” Hilfiker said at the Clarendon Rec Hall, where about 225 people attended the annual banquet. “I’m not ready to leave the grandchildren.”

Six people were honored with a “Lifesaving Award” for providing the initial response for Hilfiker. That included 13 minutes of CPR and shocks from an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). That device delivers an electric shock to help restore a normal heartbeat in cases of sudden cardiac arrest.

The six on scene who initially assisted Hilfiker include Murray Deputy Chief Peter Hendrickson, Murray Assistant Chief Kevin Dann, Clarendon Chief Robert Freida, Clarendon Town Councilman Chris Caulfield, Murray Town Supervisor Gerald Rightmyer, and Rochester police officer Liza Dann.

These nine people jumped into action when they arrived on scene to help: Jim DeYoung, past chief from Clarendon; East Pembroke firefighter Joey Gibson, a grandson of DeYoung; from the Murray joint fire district – past chief Fran Gaylord, firefighter Dan Schiavone, firefighter Jenna Amering, and firefighter Colton Tuttle; Mercy paramedic Brittani Mack, Mercy medic James Fisher and Mercy medic Mike Senebeck.

This group is recognized with a “Lifesaving Award” on Saturday. From left include Joey Gibson, Jim DeYoung, Eddie Hilfiker, Bob Freida, Gerry Rightmyer, Chris Caulfield, James Fisher and Mike Senebeck.