Program has low enrollment in Kendall, putting funding at risk

KENDALL – Community Action of Orleans and Genesee announced it will be closing a Head Start site in Kendall. There are currently 11 children in the program this school year, with six eligible to return next year.

That low enrollment puts the agency at risk of losing funding, said Renee Hungerford, Community Action executive director.

The Community Action board of directors followed a recommendation to close the Kendall program and that was approved on Wednesday by the Head Start Policy Council, which is predominantly Head Start parents. The decision follows “extend analysis,” she said.

“We are going to do all that we can to accommodate those families,” Hungerford said about the six eligible for the program next year.

Community Action has partnered with the Kendall district for the past 20 years to provide a Head Start preschool classroom.

 “Unfortunately, the extremely difficult decision has been made to close this classroom at the end of this school year,” Hungerford said.

Head Start is a federally funded program which provides comprehensive, early childhood services to income eligible children and families living in poverty in both Orleans and Genesee counties since 1965, she said.

“The program has been identified as under enrolled and may be at risk of reduced funding despite ongoing recruitment efforts across the program, including in Kendall,” Hungerford said. “In hopes of preserving full funding, the program has and will be utilizing program data to make strategic operational changes.”

The children, families and staff displaced by the closing of the Kendall location will be offered opportunities at the other sites, the closest being in Albion.

All other Head Start sites will remain open but Hungerford said there may be some changes in format, such as the potential expansion to infant care and offering more full day classes.

Some parents have started an online petition (click here), hoping to keep the Head Start program in Kendall.

“I am asking for the community to come together and fight to keep this program at Kendall since this has made an overwhelmingly positive impact on the families and the community,” said Clancy Gaddy, co-chair of the policy council. “I hope we as a strong community can come together and support this program!”

Another parent, Chelsea Winkler, said Head Start has made a big impact on her children, providing services and friendships.

“I can’t imagine our lives without these relationships or the opportunity to have been part of this program,” Winkler said. “I am so devastated for the teachers and staff, along with the kids who desperately need this program and the support it provides.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

KENDALL – Mike Hallowell starred as Willy Wonka in Kendall’s production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on Friday and Saturday.

He is shown singing the “Golden Age of Chocolate” with the Oompa-Loompas, which work in his chocolate factory. Wonka announces that he is retiring and he must choose a new successor.

Kayla Minster is in the role of Charlie Bucket and she comforts her father, Ryan Gaesser after he was laid off from his job at the toothpaste factor. Charlie sings “Think Positive” and encourages her dad to not give up.

Charlie lives in an impoverished with four bedridden grandparents. From left include Grandpa George (Sammy Conte), Grandma Georgina (Kierra Davenport), Grandma Josephine (Brooke Rodas) and Grandpa Joe (Karter May).

Grandpa Joe predicts Charlie will one day be working in the Wonka factory.

These kids hold lollipops while performing “The Candy Man.”

The Candy Man (Mike Hallowell) greets the children and sells them Wonka bars. Charlie is the only kid too poor to afford a candy bar. She helps The Candy Man and is given a lollipop and a newspaper. Charlie takes the newspaper home and finds out Wonka has a contest with five golden tickets hidden in candy bars. The winners get a tour of his factory and lifetime supply of chocolate.

Augustus Gloop (Noah Morehouse), an over-sized German boy who loves to eat, gets the first golden ticket. He sings, “I Eat More!” and tries to sample the desserts.

Phineous Trout (Emma O’Neill), a reporter, interviews the very spoiled Veruca Salt (Adrianna Schiavone) who has the second golden ticket. Her father Mr. Salt (Lucas Wachtel), owner of a very successful nut company, made his factory workers open hundreds of thousands of candy bars in search of the ticket.

Violet Beauregarde (Elli Baker) gets the third golden ticket. She is abrasive and loves to chew gum. She is joined in the interview by her mother, right, played by Irelynn Maloney.

Maddie Teavee, played by Madison Hults, finds the fourth golden ticket. Teavee loves video games and cell phones. Riley Passer plays her mother, Ms. Teavee.

Grandpa Joe (Karter May) is delighted when Charlie wins the fifth and final golden ticket. Charlie invites Grandpa Joe to join her on the trip to the chocolate factory and grandpa is so happy he gets out of bed for the first time in years, singing “(I’ve) Got a Golden Ticket.”

In the factory tour, the group gets whittled down after failing temptations until the final person is left. That is the one Wonka wants to take over his factory.

Photos by Tom Rivers

KENDALL – The elementary chorus performs on Saturday at the Kendall school auditorium as part of the All-County Festival.

The event is organized by the Orleans County Music Educators’ Association.

There are 88 students in the elementary chorus from Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina school districts.

The All-County also included 78 students in the junior high band and 66 in the high school chorus, making 232 students in the All-county Groups.

There will be another All-County Festival on March 8 in Lyndonville featuring the top students for the elementary band, junior high chorus and high school band.

At the beginning of the concert on Saturday in Kendall, a moment of silence was observed for Josh Peters, a 16-year-old Kendall student who was killed in a car accident on Wednesday.

The elementary students were led by guest conductor, Annelle VanNortwick, a general music and chorus teacher at Clinton Elementary School in West Seneca.

The students performed four songs: “A Joyful Song,” “Mary Had A Little Blues,” “Why We Sing” and “Feel Good.”

The junior high band played “Wild Blue,” “When Summer’s In The Meadow,” “Tripwire” and “Byzantine Dances.”

The students started rehearsing together for the first time Friday and the next day had their concert.

Matthew Tichy served as guest conductor of the Jr. High All-County Band. He is the band director at Mill Middle School in Williamsville. He also performs with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Syracuse Orchestra. He is a member of the Blue Stars and Bluecoats of the Drum Corps International.

Ryder Jones of Medina sings a solo during “City Called Heaven.”

Elliott Michki of Albion conducts the high school chorus in “The Dreamer.”

Four vocal and chorus teachers in Orleans County led the high school chorus, with the teachers each serving as guest conductor for a song. Michki, Albion High School chorial director,  led the group in “The Dreamer” while Kelly Marzano of Holley Jr./Sr. High, led them in City Called Heaven.”

Rachel Trillizio of Medina led the students in “Set Me As A Seal” while Jennifer Neroni-Trupo of Lyndonville conducted “Take On Me.”

Kendall takes the title this year of tournament that started in 1954

Photos by Tom Rivers

KENDALL – Kendall and Hamlin capped a three-week euchre tournament on Wednesday when 74 card players gathered at the Kendall fire hall.

This group in front includes Bill Hardenbrook, right, and his son Brian Hardenbrook, second from left, who were on the Kendall team. They are playing Ken Jurs, left, of Hamlin and John Hurd, second from left.

The tournament started in 1954 when a group of farmers from Kendall and Hamlin stopped to play cards after attending a farm show in Rochester.

They had so much fun playing cards and drinking beer that the euchre tournament became an annual event. It remains popular and has expanded from a one-evening tournament to being spread over three Wednesday in the dead of winter.

“It’s just the camaraderie,” said Ken Jurs of Hamlin, who estimates he has been playing in the tournament for 35 years.

Jurs said many of the Kendall and Hamlin residents know each other quite well. His grandfather, Walter Jurs, was Kendall’s highway superintendent.

The tournament still includes many farmers but it has opened up to the entire community. The action alternated from Kendall to Hamlin and then back to Kendall again for the conclusion last night. The players pay $10 each night and at includes beer or soda. The first two nights it also includes a boiled Zweigle’s hot dog.

John Becker, left, is the chairman for the tournament for Kendall while Dave Leverenz serves as Hamlin’s chairman. Becker welcomes the players to Kendall and asks how many want to order a fish fry at The Grove 1848. The losing team had to pay the $10 charge for the fish fry for the winners.

Kendall emerged as the victor of the tournament after the results were tallied over the three weeks. Kendall defeated Hamlin by 158 points – 4437 to 4279.

 All three nights of card playing brought out at least 70 people, which was up from the 50s and 60s last year.

There were 72 card players on Jan. 22, followed by 76 on Jan. 29 and 74 on Feb. 5.

John Becker thinks the tournament peaked with more than 80 players in the 1970s. He is pleased to see the tournament remains popular, and to see some younger people getting involved.

Becker has been part of the tournament since 1977, a year after he moved to Kendall and joined the fire department.

“Back in those days everybody played cards,” Becker said.

The tournament was sidelined one year, back in 2021 due to Covid restrictions. Otherwise the players keep coming back, year after year.

Becker doesn’t know of any other euchre tournament that has endured for so long that is a town versus town.

“It’s a fun evening,” he said. “They come here and we go there. It’s nice to see the two towns have a relationship and a friendship.”

HAMLIN – A Kendall High School student was killed this afternoon in a car accident on Roosevelt Highway.

Josh Peters, 16, was killed in a one-vehicle crash where he was eastbound, left the road and struck a utility pole, downing power lines on Route 18 near Drake Road, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Nick Picardo, the Kendall school district superintendent, shared with “deep sadness” that Peters died in a car accident.

“I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and to all those who knew and loved him,” Picardo said in a message on the district website.

“Please know that we are here to help our staff and families through this grief,” Picardo said. “Our Crisis Response Team has been activated to provide support. Counselors will be available all day Thursday for students and staff members.”

For those who need additional support, Picardo said the district will have counselors on hand at the junior/senior high school on Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m.

“Thank you for your support and understanding in this difficult time,” Picardo said. “We once again will pull together as one family, one school, and one community.”

HAMLIN – Kendall and Hamlin card players completed the second night of their euchre tournament on Wednesday, and Kendall holds a lead over their rival.

Kendall won the opening day on Jan. 22 with a 157-point lead in the euchre action at the Kendall Fire Hall. The games shifted to the Hamlin Exempts Hall on Wednesday and Hamlin won by 2 points, with Kendall holding a 155-point lead after two days.

The two-town tournament, which goes back at least 70 years, culminates next Wednesday at Kendall. The losing team needs to buy the winners a fish fry dinner at The Grove 1848 in Kendall.

There were 72 card players on Jan. 22, followed by 76 last evening.

Photos courtesy of Kendall Lions Club

KENDALL – The Kendall Lions Club last week presented $1,000 checks to the New York State School for the Blind in Batavia and the pre-diabetes program at the Orleans County Health Department.

The donations were made towards the Lions Club’s global causes of vision and diabetes. They money came from the proceeds from the Kendall Lions Club’s annual Christmas Party Auction.

In the photo at left Lions Club President Zina Cappatelli presents a check to Nola Goodrich-Kresse, a public health educator and public information officer, for the Orleans County Health Department to support the pre-diabetes education program.

In the photo at right, Lions Club President Zina Cappatelli presents a check to Batavia School for the Blind’s Christopher Wolsey and Jackie Simpson.

KENDALL – Kendall and Hamlin are both looking for euchre card players for a tournament  pitting the two towns over three Wednesdays – Jan. 22, Jan. 29 and Feb. 5.

Kendall and Hamlin have battled in euchre for about 70 years. The losing team has to buy the winners a fish fry dinner at the Grove 1848 in Kendall.

The first game will start 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 22 at the Kendall Fire Hall. The game then goes to Hamlin on Jan. 29 and back to Kendall for the finale on Feb. 5. It cost $10 to enter and that includes food and refreshments.

Players can just show up, said John Becker of Kendall. There are usually about 60 players each night.

The tournament is open to residents in both towns. If one town has more players than the other, some of those players might play for the rival town to even out the players.

After the three days of card playing, the scores will be tabulated to determine the winner.

The event isn’t a fundraiser, but Becker said donations are made to the fire departments in both Kendall and Hamlin.

Press Release, Kendall Fire Department

KENDALL – The Kendall Fire Department announced the line officers and schedule of events for 2025.

The department responded to 177 calls in 2024.

These are the line officers for 2025:

• Fire Chief: Randy Davis
• Deputy Fire Chief: Cole Hardenbrook

The following officers have been appointed for 2025:

• Assistant Fire Chief: Richard Breslawski
• Assistant Fire Chief: Bryan Hardenbrook
• Captain: Jason Hardenbrook
• Captain: Clayton Christ
• Lieutenant: Tim Bidwell
• Lieutenant: TBD
• Safety Officer: James Fox
• EMS Captain: Steven Balka
• EMS Lieutenant: Sue Maslin

“We are committed to enhancing our response times, increasing our community engagement, and ensuring the safety of everyone in Kendall,” said David, the fire chief. “Our new officers are highly skilled and dedicated to making a positive impact.”

The Kendall Fire Department’s line officers are chosen for their leadership abilities, years of service, and passion for protecting the community. Their leadership will guide the department’s strategic goals and day-to-day operations throughout 2025.

About Kendall Fire Department:

Founded in 1912, the Kendall Fire Department is a dedicated team of professional and volunteer firefighters who serve and protect the community of Kendall. The department responds to fire, medical emergencies, and other disasters, and works continuously to ensure the safety and well-being of the public.

Coming soon in 2025:

• Water Rescue Capabilities
• April – Easter Egg Hunt, Spring Raffle
• August – Gun Raffle
• November – Turkey Raffle

Photo courtesy of Jasmine Almeter

MORTON – Jasmine Almeter created a nativity scene representing the birth of Jesus out of snow on Tuesday morning in Morton. The weather was perfect, just above freezing, for making a snow creation.

Almeter owns Residential and Commercial Pest Pro in Morton, just outside Orleans County. She made a centipede out of snow in 2022 and last year made a mouse out of snow.

“This year the perfect snow came just in time for Christmas and we made a nativity scene,” she said.

Provided photos: The ballot in today’s election at Kendall Elementary School shows a choice between mashed potato bowl with chicken, corn, cheese and gravy OR a sweet and sour chicken and rice bowl.

KENDALL – Elementary students and staff made their voices clear in a landslide vote today. They want sweet and sour chicken rice bowl on the school menu.

Students and staff were asked to choose between sweet and sour chicken rice bowl, or mashed potato bowl with chicken, corn, cheese and gravy.

The chicken rice bowl won with 297 votes to 112 for the mashed potato bowl.

Kevin Watson, the school principal, said the school’s head chef, Megan Bouchey, will work to add the new option to the school menu in January.

(Left) Audra Keirn, district clerk and administrative assistant to the superintendent, cast a ballot in today’s election. (Right) Two kindergartners – Logan Butterfield and Nora Rasmusson – vote in the election. They are in Kristy Markham’s class.

The school created ballots, hung posters, and posted mini promotions on the school sign board.

Superintendent Nick Picardo and Watson also filmed a 5-minute informercial in school’s television student alerting students about the upcoming vote. Picardo and Watson both test-tasted each menu item live and offered their recommendation.

 Watson picked the mashed potato bowl while Picardo favored the sweet and sour chicken.

After classes voted today, they posed by a “VOTE” sign outside the main office. This photo shows Taylor Kingsbury’s 4th grade class.

This is the third election at the school on an issue of interest to students. Last year students voted on which slide would better for the school’s new playground: the double slide or a swirl slide.

There were 376 ballots cast, and the swirl was dominant with 303 votes to 73 for the double slide. The district breaks ground on a new playground in the spring that will include the swirl slide.

“Students will see their voice in action soon!” Watson said.

In the first election in 2022, students picked the name for the school’s eagle mascot. “Talon” was the winner.

Kevin Watson, the school principal, and Joseph Reger, a sixth grader, announce the results of the election.

Photos courtesy of Andy King, art teacher at Kendall Central School

KENDALL – Kendall fourth-grader Carter Cook (in front) and fifth-grader Evan May (just behind him) wore cool helmets at today’s ride to school event which featured about 80 Kendall elementary students and a dozen staff members.

Kendall started the ride to school event last year and about 50 kids participated then.

The students start the ride at the Kendall Highway Garage on Crandall Avenue and then head to the elementary school on Kendall Road.

Students gather for a group photo after the ride. They are offered a Gatorade, fruit snack, and/or applesauce pouch after the ride. Parents pick up their students’ bikes during the day.

Students in grades 3-6 all receive a training with the district’s School Resource Officer, Deputy George Barton, prior to the bike ride. Students learn important safety tips for riding bikes including which side of the road to stay on. Deputy Barton presents to each grade level using a slide show he created.

Parents register their children via a Google Survey. The survey ensures all of the pertinent information is understood leading up to the event (time, date, requirement for helmet, etc).

“Deputy Barton closes off southbound traffic from Kenmore road to our elementary building to ensure our students are safe,” said Kevin Watson, the elementary school principal.

Brennan Wahl rides with his daughter, Avery, a fifth grader. Mr. Wahl is a 4th grade teacher at Kendall.

A Kendall staff member uses a Gator to pace the students, who are reminded “this is a stroll to school — not a race!” Watson said.

The pace car ensures they are safe and not zooming down the road. The Sheriff’s Department ensures students are safe on the right side of the road. The district Buildings and Grounds members also cut off traffic into the school so students can pull in safely after the ride, Watson said.

“I love our community lining up along the streets and waving to the kids,” Watson said. “We have such a supportive community here in Kendall!”

Kendall Elementary School Special Education teacher Sarah Scorse joins the ride with students and staff.

Principal Kevin Watson gets the riders attention at the Highway Department before the ride to the school.

Kendall fifth-grader Emma Pagano enjoys the bike ride.

Provided photo

KENT – The Old Crow Motorcycle Club on Wednesday evening presented a check for $3,000 to the Justice for Children Advocacy Center.

The money was presented at the Old Crow clubhouse on Petersmith Road in Kent. The funding is the proceeds of the Old Crow’s annual pig roast which was held on Sept. 14.

“We were blown away tonight by the Old Crow Motorcycle Club in Kent, NY,” Justice for Children posted on its Facebook page. “This incredible group of individuals presented us with an extremely generous donation, and they couldn’t have been more kind, warm, and supportive. They have supported the JFCAC for several years now in multiple ways and we are so very grateful!!! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!”

Justice for Children Advocacy Center provides services for children who have been sexually or physically abused, or who have been a witness to violence.

The goal of Justice for Children is to improve the response to child abuse by eliminating multiple interviews and examinations of children, providing quick access to mental health, victim advocacy, and support services for children and families and enhancing multidisciplinary communication and coordination.

Provided photos

KENDALL – Betty Wilson, center, turned 105 on Wednesday, Sept. 18. On Sunday after church at the Kendall Global Methodist Church, her family and friends celebrated her milestone birthday.

Pictured from left include Sandra Wilson Peragine, Dona Wilson Maynard, Robert Hart, Bob Harradine, Jane Wilson Hart, Betty Thornell Wilson, Marianne Wilson Kepler, Robert L. Wilson, Sage Anstey, Sherry Nottingham Wilson, Breanna King, Matt Wilson, Robert J. Wilson and Sandra Maxon Wilson.

Mrs. Wilson worked at Kodak, where she met her husband, Robert Wilson. They moved to Kendall and raised four children on a farm.

Family and friends enjoy the celebration in honor of Betty Wilson.