Photos  and article by Natalie Baron

HOLLEY – Festival visitor Evie is all smiles as she braves the Ultimate Ninja Warrior obstacle course. It was a popular attraction at this year’s JuneFest, which also featured craft and food vendors.

JuneFest took place on June 6 along Holley’s canal park path. The festival was made possible by funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program and was administered by GO ART!

Wendy Cruz, manager of Project Salus, a program of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee hands out free flowers. Young Carlee Dale happily experiences the booth. The pots came in four rim colors that each represented a different kind of person. For example, the red rim represented playfulness and a loving and nurturing spirit. The group also handed out free make-your-own flowers out of pipe cleaners that came in both daisy and sunflower varieties. Running with the tagline “Youth Voices Driving Change – Define Your Impact”, the project promotes positivity and finds resources for adolescents. It has afterschool programs in Lyndonville and Holley. Moving forward, Project Salus wants to do more community outreach focused on youths.

Alex excitedly receives a face painting of a rocketship, with glittery flames. Mary Jo Whitman of Far Out Faces WNY Face Painting creates the masterpiece.

Kevin Johnson of Clarendon Lions Club serves up grilled goodies. There were several food vendors at the festival. They were hard at work crafting great food and tasty beverages.

Christina Kelley and Stephanie Ridder of CK Designs sold keychains that could be custom-made with a large number of selections, as well as ready-made keychains.

Samantha and Mike were in charge of the Oak & Flora Shop booth. They had an array of nicknacks to purchase.

Lorraine of LD Designs poses with her selection of crocheted goods. There were many vendors selling delightful crocheted critters.

Dennis Lusk shows off the Lusk Tree Service booth. It included a large bucket lift.

Arianna gets a rainbow butterfly wing done by Mary Jo Whitman. Families had a wonderful time looking at all the sights and goods.

JuneFest featured several more booths. One of the vendors sold rocks ranging from blue calcite from the Adirondacks to geodes from Kentucky. Penna’s Crafts and Things provided samples of maple products from Carney Farms in Hornell and also sold crafts from Donald Penna’s shop.

Candy Mosholder’s Pink Zebra had wax melters that, when burned, produce a pleasant aroma. Author Debbie Patt was selling her book, Aurora’s Sweet Dream, about her dog. Esipova Youth Ballet Theater had a recruitment booth. It has a focus on Classic Ballet Rendezvous Style and accepts children ages three-plus, and it also offers adult classes.

Photos by Tom Rivers: John Fitzak, Orleans County legislator and co-leader of the Orleans County Association of Municipalities, addresses about 20 local officials on Tuesday during the monthly meeting of the association. The meeting was hosted by the Village of Holley and held in the cafeteria of the Holley Elementary School.

HOLLEY – Officials in Orleans County were told the state has funding opportunities to study infrastructure needs and also to consider more efficient ways to providing services.

Andrew Santillo, a local government specialist with the NYS Department of State, was the featured speaker during Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the Orleans County Association of Municipalities. He spoke by phone from Albany.

The state has funded projects in the county, including $52,859 towards a current study looking at EMS and firefighting services throughout the county. A final report is expected soon on that report.

Holley Mayor Mark Bower said the village has worked to update its zoning ordinances and comprehensive plan with assistance from the Genesee Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council.

The Department of State also worked with Orleans County on a regional dredging plan.

The state made $8 million available for projects in the 2025-26 budget. About $800,000 goes towards planning grants while $7.3 million is directed at implementing projects, Santillo said.

The funding is open to counties, towns, villages, school districts, fire districts, libraries and BOCES.

Some recent projects have involved courts, a regional fuel facility, code enforcement, assessment, merging a police department, information technology services, municipal planning, clean energy initiatives and waste water.

Santillo highlighted a project in Lewis County in the north country where 17 municipal entities are sharing highway equipment.

The Brockport Fire District also secured nearly $500,000 for a regional bunk-in program that boosts firefighter staffing through SUNY Brockport. Students get free room and board at the Brockport firehouse in exchange for responding to some emergency calls as volunteer firefighters.

“We try to meet the needs of local governments,” Santillo said.

Some recent studies in parts of the state have assisted planning and zoning boards with zoning updates and new comprehensive plans, and fire districts and schools with mergers. Some students have looked at the dissolution of village governments and shifting those services to a town.

Other students have examined how municipal services could better be reorganized.

“We put some money behind projects to see if savings can be had,” Santillo said. “Is there a way to help you guys do things better or more cost effective?”

He noted some current projects in the GLOW region including a water main replacement in Avon, a water-loss study in Wyoming County, and a large sewer project in Darien.

County Legislator John Fitzak also is chairman of the Genesee Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, which serves nine counties and the city of Rochester.

He said the organization can assist municipalities with preparing and administering grants.

“The money is there for projects,” Fitzak said.

Press Release, Holley Central School

Provided photo: Holley Central School Superintendent Karri Schiavone, left, congratulates Payton Preston as Holley’s “Outstanding Senior.”

HOLLEY – Payton Preston of Holley has been recognized by the Monroe County Council of School Superintendents as a 2026 Outstanding Senior at the annual Dr. Michael C. O’Laughlin Outstanding Senior Recognition Dinner on May 14.

One senior from each high school in the Monroe One and Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES region is selected for this honor based on scholarship, leadership, service and character.

Payton is a dedicated student who has been actively involved in academics and extracurriculars throughout her high school career. She participated in varsity soccer, cheerleading and tennis, demonstrating commitment, teamwork and school spirit across multiple programs.

She serves as president of the National Honor Society and is a member of the National Technical Honor Society through her Career and Technical Education program. Her leadership and academic success reflect a strong work ethic and commitment to excellence.

Payton also served as a SOAR mentor for seventh-grade students during her junior and senior years, providing guidance and support to peers transitioning into middle school. Outside of school, she is active in 4-H, further demonstrating her commitment to community involvement and personal growth.

“Payton exemplifies the heart of Holley,” said Holley CSD Superintendent Karri Schiavone. “She is a well-rounded student whose leadership, academic achievement and commitment to service set her apart. Her dedication and passion make her a positive role model and a deserving recipient of this recognition.”

She will continue her education at SUNY Geneseo this fall, where she plans to major in biochemistry.

Provided photo

HOLLEY – Nora Lindsay, center is shown presenting a ceremonial check for $2,350 for C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association. She is shown with Neil and Diane Valentine, parents of the late Evan Valentine.

Evan passed away at age 18 on February 21, 2021 after a courageous battle with acute myeloid leukemia. Evan was very active in Holley’s music program and also was a soccer player and Eagle Scout.

Evan was friends with Nora’s older brother, Gabe Lindsay. Nora last year raised $700 for the C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association by selling cookies.

This year she organized a cash raffle. Tickets sold for $10 each with $500 awarded for first prize, $350 for second, and $150 for third.

The raffle raised $1,850 and another donation came in for $500, bringing the total to $2,350. She was joined by Evan’s parents in presenting the donation on Tuesday to the C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association in Rochester.

“My mother always taught me that no one ever really dies until the last time someone says your name,” Nora said. “Evan Valentine meant a lot to my brother, and my family is close, so when my brother went to college I told him I’d make him proud. The first time I really understood what community meant is when the Holley community rallied around Evan and his family,” Nora said. “So, for all those reasons and more, I wanted to honor his memory and all that C.U.R.E. does both seen and unseen.”

Evan Valentine, left, was a very active student at Holley.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Boy Scout Troop 59 was part of the Memorial Day parade this morning in Holley.

Tyler Moore, left, carries the Troop 59 flag while Ryker Knight carries the American flag. They are joined by Scoutmaster Randy Moore.

There was a ceremony at the American Legion Post on Wright Street and then a procession from South Main Street to Hillside Cemetery where there were services in honor of veterans.

Madison Hults of Kendall leads the Holley-Kendall marching band as the drum major.

The band played patriotic music as part of the parade.

Miranda Blanar is a member of the color guard in the Holley-Kendall marching band. There are about 50 students total in the marching band.

The band works their way up the hill on South Main Street on their way to Hillside Cemetery.

Todd Klatt, a mechanic in the National Guard, drives this military vehicle in the parade. Klatt is a sergeant first class who returned home in November after a 9-month deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The vehicle is a M1120A4 Load Handling System. It is a mobility tactical truck. The ladder truck for the Murray Joint Fire District is after the military vehicle.

The tactical truck had a tribute in honor of veterans who have died. Klatt’s wife Mary, son Trent and daughter Olivia were on back of the truck tossing candy.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Assemblyman Steve Hawley presents a proclamation to Amy Machamer during a luncheon Friday celebrating Hurd Orchards inclusion on the State Historic Business Preservation Registry. County Legislator Ed Morgan is at right.

HOLLEY – Hurd Orchards, a seventh-generation family farm going back more than 200 years, was presented with a proclamation by Assemblyman Steve Hawley on Friday during a luncheon celebrating Hurd’s inclusion in the State Historic Business Preservation Registry.

Amy Machamer, who owns Hurd Orchards with her mother Susan Hurd Machamer, said they had already planned a special luncheon featuring rhubarb when they learned of their historic designation.

Holley mayor Mark Bower added his congratulations to Amy Machamer on being included in the State Historic Preservation Registry, after presenting her with a proclamation from the village.

“Our guests will be surprised to learn about our honor,” Machamer said.

The State Historic Business Preservation Registry recognizes business that are at least 50 years old, according to Hawley.

Hurd Orchards was established by Luther Hurd in 1825 and has evolved into a thriving fruit-growing enterprise. It is now in its eighth generation.

“From a pioneer farm, they have changed and thrived with the times, yet kept their historical significance and maintained conservation practices,” Hawley said. “It is extraordinary in this day and age for an agricultural business to last this long.”

Hawley presented Amy with a proclamation from the New York State Assembly, while Ed Morgan presented one from the Orleans County Legislature and another came from Holley mayor Mark Bower.

Amy, who has been in business with her mother since 1985, is the seventh-generation Hurd to run the farm, and when her daughter joins the operation, she will become the eighth-generation.

“I love all that goes into it,” Amy said.

She was not only honored by Hawley’s bestowing such an honor (which she called cool) on the farm, but praised him for supporting farms. She cited this spring when they needed water desperately, which they get from the canal, and was told it would be six weeks before the canal was filled. She contacted Hawley and their state senator, and within 24 hours, there was water in the canal.

Luncheons, such as Friday’s, have become a tradition in the family’s 200-year-old barn. Each one focuses on a different theme found on the farm, from Friday’s rhubarb to chives on June 3. Peonies, strawberries and roses will be featured in upcoming June luncheons.

Amy welcomed a full room of guests to Friday’s lunch, first sharing a little history of the family farm, then explaining about rhubarb. The menu included rhubarb/raspberry jam cookies rolled in paprika, rhubarb muffins, herb bread hot out of the oven, ham with a rhubarb sauce and for dessert, rhubarb pie (also known as pie plant), brown sugar rhubarb cookies and rhubarb custard cake.

“We are contributing in a very special way to the heritage of Western New York,” Amy said.

Hurd Orchards is the fourth Holley area business to be included on the Historic Business Preservation Registry, following Kirby’s Farm Market (just across the Orleans/Monroe County line), who was recognized last year, and Stockham Lumber and Holley Cold Storage, both in Holley, which were announced a week ago.

Honored businesses were identified after Orleans County historian Catherine Cooper compiled a list for Hawley, showing companies in business more than 50 years.

Prior to receiving a proclamation from Assemblyman Stave Hawley, Amy Machamer described the benefits of rhubarb to guests gathered for lunch Friday at Hurd Orchards.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Jeremy Arnold and his daughter Philomena, 13, pull a long invasive vine from the bushes near a rest area along the Erie Canal in Holley.

They were among 200 volunteers for today’s “Day of Impact” led by Holley Rotary Interact and EarlyAct Clubs at the school.

There are usually about 100 volunteers for the big day in Holley of picking up trash and doing special projects. There was an even bigger response with today’s efforts dedicated in memory of Eric Fredendall, who passed away from melanoma on February 17, 2026 at age 46.

Leah Fredendall thanks the big crowd that turned out for the “Day of Caring” in honor of her late husband. Mrs. Fredendall works as an aide in the elementary school. Her husband grew up in Holley, graduated in 1997 and insisted on raising their family in the community. After serving as a combat veteran in the US Marines during the Iraq War, he worked for Stockham Lumber driving the lumber truck and making deliveries, a job he thoroughly enjoyed, his wife said.

Mr. Fredendall was an enthusiastic participant in previous “Day of Caring” events, relishing oddball items he would find as part of the litter cleanup. He once found a piece of a hot tub in the canal.

“Eric was always a hands-on, hard worker,” his wife said. “He took great pride in Holley.”

They have two children – Cole, 16; and Lauren, 14.

The people wore orange shirts today that noted it was the 2026 Day of Impact and it was dedicated in memory of Eric Fredendall.

“It means so much to all of us,” Mrs. Fredendall said about honoring her husband with today’s community service projects.

Mr. Fredendall was at last year’s event, despite being sick with cancer. He didn’t want to miss the chance to help out.

“He looked forward to it because you could accomplish something and get something done,” she said.

Holley students paint red along the curb in front of the elementary school. These students include Miori Fisher, an eighth-grader at right, and Zoey Warner, a sophomore.

Zoey said she looks forward to the “Day of Impact” every year.

“It’s a way to bring our community together,” she said.

Samantha Zelent, the Interact Club advisors, thanked the students and other volunteers for joining on the community service projects. She said the community is very supportive of the Interact Club efforts throughout the year.

The group gathered at the elementary school parking before dispersing to tackle different projects.

These Holley students washed about 200 afghan blankets that were donated when a house was cleaned out in Holley. The people who donated the afghans also gave detergent and 200 dollars in quarters to have them all cleaned at the laundromat.

The students – from left Bailey Bibbins, Nora Lindsay, Kaeleigh Eiland, Olivia Kirkpatrick and Lillian O’Brien – also folded all of the blankets.

The afghans will be donated to the VA, nursing homes, and a few organizations that work with homeless people.

Matt Campbell cleans off the memorial bricks at the military tank by the VFW. Students and volunteers did landscaping and other cleanup work by the tank. Bricks also were placed there in memory of Eric Fredendall and Mark Morreall. Morreall was very active at the VFW and American Legion. He also worked with the Interact Club last year to make the landscaping by the tank one of the projects for the “Day of Impact.”

Don Pera, a retired Holley teacher and Eric Fredendall’s uncle, holds a garbage bag while volunteers put trash in it from a field in the Holley Business Park.  Eli Prior, 11, and his sister Leah, 13, were among the litter hunters. They are in Fredendall’s family.

Volunteers picked up litter along every village street and the canal towpath within the Holley school district.

This group works on cleaning up the East Avenue canal welcome spot. It was overgrown on the stone pavers and also the bushes needed to be trimmed and some nasty weeds removed. Lewanne Nettles, in front with the shovel, was among the community volunteers to helped with today’s projects. The welcome area was a new project on the list this year.

Pat Fredendall, Eric Fredendall’s mother, stopped by the canal welcome area to pass out bottles of water. She saw her granddaughter there, helping clean up the stone pavers. Lauren Fredenedall, 14, is Eric’s daughter.

Pat Fredendall said she appreciated the big turnout today from the volunteers.

“We live in a beautiful community,” she said.

Memorial bricks placed by military tank near VFW  to conclude today’s ‘Day of Impact’

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Memorial bricks were set today in honor of Eric Fredendall and Mark Morreall by the military tank by the Holley VFW, where Morreall was a long-time leader.

“These are two amazing veterans,” Interact Club advisor Samantha Zelent said about Morreall and Fredendall. “They are two very special people to the Interact Club.”

Morreall passed away at age 69 on October 29, 2025.  He was a US Army veteran who also was very involved with the American Legion in Holley.

Mark Morreall’s wife Susan is joined by son Sean Morreall after they set the brick in honor of Mark Morreall.

A group gathers near the tank to see the two memorial bricks be placed in honor of Mark Morreall and Eric Fredendall.

Eric Fredendall’s children – Cole, 16, and Lauren, 14 – place a brick with their father’s name by the tank. The Vietnam War era tank has been near the VFW since 2009.

Eric Fredendall passed away February 17, 2026 at age 46 from melanoma. He was a 1997 Holley graduate who then served as a combat veteran in the US Marines during the Iraq War.

The bricks were placed to conclude today’s “Day of Impact” in Holley, where about 200 students and other community members picked up litter and tended to other special projects in Holley, including landscaping work by the tank. Today’s “Day of Impact” was also dedicated in Fredendall’s memory.

Next year more bricks honoring veterans could be added by the tank on the “Day of Impact.”

Photo by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – The entrance to Veterans Drive off South Main Street in Holley is barricaded over a culvert.

The entrance is blocked off to traffic after a powerful storm on April 1 caused flooding that damaged a culvert near the entrance. The road is crumbling near the culvert.

It would be too expensive for the village to take on the cost of replacing the culvert, Holley Mayor Mark Bower said at Tuesday’s Village Board meeting.

Early estimates put a replacement at $300,000 to $500,000, he said.

The VFW and businesses in the Holley Business Park are accessible from Maziarz Drive off Route 31 by Crosby’s and Mitchell Family Cremations & Funerals.

The Veterans Drive entrance has long been considered a dangerous intersection, especially making a left turn onto South Main Street due to limited sight lines, village officials said.

There is a chance the culvert and road could be fixed if federal funding is approved by FEMA. Holley and other municipalities that suffered damages from the flooding may be eligible for FEMA funding. The state is currently going through the process to see if there will be FEMA aid for the affected counties.