Photos by Tom Rivers – The Heck family in Lyndonville hosted Swantje Lagediek, 17, of Germany since Thanksgiving eve. “Swan” returned home on Monday. Pictured with Swan, middle, include: T.J., Bonnie, Lindsay and Tom.

LYNDONVILLE – A Lyndonville family said an emotional good-bye on Monday to a foreign exchange student, who was accepted into the family as a sibling and daughter the past eight months.

The Heck family didn’t expect they would ever host a foreign exchange student. But in November, a day before Thanksgiving, they welcomed Swantje Lagediek into their home.

“Swan” is from a small city, Bremen, in Germany. She immediately connected with Lindsay Heck, 17, and received lots of friendly teasing from Lindsay’s brother T.J., 22.

“This was one of the best things we have ever done,” Bonnie Heck said at the family’s home on Platten Road. “She fit right in with us.”

When Swan envisioned spending time in the United States, she immediately thought of New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

“But a small town is better,” she said. “A huge city is too busy.”

Swantje Lagediek, left, is pictured with her “sister,” Lindsay Heck.

She experienced famed tourism sites at Niagara Falls, Boston and Fort Worth, Texas. Locally she laughed about the Shoe Tree in Lyndonville, a row of four trees that have hundreds of shoes nailed to the bark or hanging from branches. Swan tossed her own pair of shoes into one of the trees.

She took a year of classes at Lyndonville, and enjoyed photography, digital literacy, art and a forensics class. She ran track and worked the spotlight in the school musical.

“I was open to new things,” she said.

Swan is used to public transportation in Germany, taking a bus or train to most destinations. Some days, she preferred to just walk to the Hecks’ home after school.

The annual Fourth of July parade passed by the Hecks’ and Swan joined then in their front lawn, watching the candy-throwing spectacle.

Lindsay and Swan were born two weeks apart, and they have connected like sisters. The two often joined in pranking Lindsay’s older brother. T.J. returned the banter. He also taught Swan the mechanical workings of cars and lawn mowers.

Swan’s parents visited Lyndonville about three weeks ago and the families felt a sense of camaraderie.

“We highly recommend it,” Mr. Heck, a state Department of Transportation employee, said about hosting an exchange student. “It has broadened our horizons. It made us realize there is a whole big dynamic world out there.”

Photo courtesy of Lyndonville Central School – Lyndonville Central School Superintendent Jason Smith, left, meets with students and staff of the Brockport Migrant Education Program, which is using Lyndonville’s elementary school for a summer program serving 120 students.

Press release
Lyndonville Central School

LYNDONVILLE – When the doors shut on Lyndonville Elementary School about a year ago due to decreased enrollment, it seemed unlikely that the building would hear again hear the sounds of children learning, playing and expressing their artistic abilities.

But for six weeks over the course of the summer, the school will come to life again as migrant children from kindergarten to grade eight have found a place to continue their education.

A teacher from the Brockport Migrant Education Program approached Lyndonville about leasing the site for six weeks this summer. Lyndonville agreed, and will be paid $10,000 for use of the space. That will cover the district’s utilities and other costs in maintaining the site for the whole school year.

“After talking with them we thought it would be a good fit for the property,” said Jason Smith, the district superintendent. “We had been researching options for the use of the building, since we prefer it is not vacant.”

The school is run by Principal Darlene Senco and has 120 students for the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program that includes academics, art and gym.

“They chose us because we are a central location for Niagara, Orleans, Genesee and Monroe counties,” Smith said. “We have agreed to a one year lease to see how it goes for both of us.”

The program is operated with a grant through Brockport College and run by Program Director Donna Spencer. It has been in operation for nine years.

“It is a very big program and it usually works as a tutoring program throughout the school year and then we have our summer program where we focus on math and literature,” Spencer said. “Our goal is to help every student get a high school diploma and possibly go on to higher learning.”

She likes the site in Lyndonville and said school staff have been accommodating to the program.

“We are really hoping to continue building a partnership with Lyndonville,” she said.

Big crowd watches fireworks show in Lyndonville

Photos by Tom Rivers – Young Explosives put on a show for a big crowd at Lyndonville.

The baseball field was full of people watching the fireworks. Lyndonville was packed with cars on Main Street and many of the side streets.

The Lyndonville Lions Club organizes the Fourth of July celebration each year in the community.

Maria Ball, 6, of Medina has fun with sparklers before the fireworks show in Lyndonville.

Tom Schicker of Albion helps send off a Chinese Lantern before the fireworks.

The Happy Ending band played for three hours before the fireworks. Tom Zangerle, left, is lead guitar and vocals for the band. Larry Loke of Lyndonville, right, plays bass and provides vocals.

Photos by Tom Rivers – About a dozen fire companies in Orleans and Niagara counties were part of today’s parade.

Some of the classic cars and vehicles were filled with happy flag wavers.

Lyndonville is once again hosting the biggest Independence Day party in Orleans County. The festivities began with a parade down Platten Road before reaching the biggest crowds on Main Street.

The schedule is packed with other events leading up to a fireworks show at 10 p.m.

A group of veterans led the parade down Platten Road, Maple Avenue and then Main Street.

Several local politicians were in the parade, including County Legislator Lynne Johnson of Lyndonville and Legislature Chairman David Callard of Medina.

Adolf Genter, a member of Concerned Citizens of Orleans County, plays his accordion from the back of a truck during the parade.

New York Revolution’s chapter in Orleans County had a float proclaiming the organization’s support for Second Amendment rights.

A group of alumni from Lyndonville joined for a marching band for today’s parade.

These photos were taken from near the village line, close to where Platten Road becomes Maple Avenue. Most of the action at today’s festival is on the school grounds.

Jenn Suhr will vault at White Birch for fourth time

Photo by Tom Rivers – Jenn Suhr clears the bar in this pole vault at the White Birch Golf Course on May 31. Suhr has the highest outdoor mark in the world this year, which she established at the White Birch.

LYNDONVILLE – Fireworks won’t be the only thing taking to the Lyndonville sky on the Fourth of July.

A group of pole vaulters, including reigning national champ and Gold Medalist Jenn Suhr, are coming back to Lyndonville, this time for the community’s biggest celebration.

Suhr and many of the top male and female vaulters in the region will compete at the White Birch Golf Course beginning at 4 p.m. This will be Suhr’s fourth competition at the White Birch since May 31. The White Birch is owned by her brother-in-law Harold Suhr.

Jenn won the national title last month, clearing 15 feet, 5 inches in Des Moines. She went over 16 feet, 1 inches at one of the sanctioned events at the White Birch – the year’s highest outdoor mark in the world.

She is gearing up for the world championships next month. She will compete in Moscow on the home turf of two-time Olympic gold medalist Yelena Isinbayeva.

The vaulting competition at the White Birch is part of packed day of events in Lyndonville for the Fourth of July. The patriotic celebration includes a parade on Main Street at noon and fireworks at 10 p.m.

Other events include an arts and crafts show from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the school front lawn; chicken barbecue from 1 to 5 p.m. in school cafeteria; bounce house for kids from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; WNY Garden Tractor Pull from 1 to 4 p.m. on Housel Avenue; Lions vision screening for children 6 and younger from 1 to 3 p.m.; ice cream eating contest at 2 p.m.; Orleans Hospice Duck Race at 3 p.m.; and the “Happy Endings” Band from 7 to 10 p.m. in the high school parking lot.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The Lyndonville Elementary School is again a center for learning. The building was closed by the district after the 2011-12 school year. It is being used this summer for a migrant education program.

Photo by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE A year after Lyndonville closed its elementary school due to a falling enrollment, the building is again alive with the sounds of children and teachers.

This summer there will be 120 students from grades K to 8 learning to read, write and do arithmetic – as well as participating in art and physical education. The students are in the migrant education project through Brockport State College. The college is sending students from Orleans, Genesee, Niagara and Monroe counties for the six-week program that started yesterday and runs until Aug. 9.

“This is beneficial to everybody,” said Jason Smith, the Lyndonville district superintendent. “It’s great to see the school used again. The last thing the Board (of Education) wanted to see was the building sit underutilized.”

Brockport is paying Lyndonville $10,000 to use the building for the program. Brockport is also is working out transportation for the students and is paying a food service provider. There are 10 teachers and 10 teachers aides working in the program.

The money for leasing the building should cover the utilities for the school year at the site that was closed after the 2011-12 school year.

The school was down to 100 students in grades three and four, and a special education class during its last year. Those classes and grades were shifted to the main campus where all grade levels are now in one building.

Locals make row of trees a Lyndonville landmark

Photos by Tom Rivers – There are hundreds of shoes either nailed into the bark or dangling from the branches of four ash trees at the corner of Foss and Lakeshore roads in the town of Yates.

YATES I had to drop by the Shoe Tree last night. I think it’s one of the most charming attractions in Orleans County.

A row of four ash trees at the corner of Foss and Lakeshore roads is full of hundreds of shoes. Locals have been keeping the trees stocked for years. The footwear is nailed to the bark on the trunks of the trees. Sneakers hang from branches, some on the ends of limbs high in the air. (The shoe donors have great arms to reach these spots.)

The Shoe Tree is one of the county’s most talked about attractions. It is featured on Web sites and was included in a 2008 book called “New York Curiosities.”

For nearly three decades folks have been flinging loafers, cleats, high heels, slippers, running shoes and boots into the trees. There were five of the trees, but one toppled over in a wind storm in 2009.

The Shoe Tree craze started in 1986 when the late Earl Baun helped a girlfriend get rid of about eight to 10 pairs of shoes. He threw them into the trees. When he was done, Baun and his then-girlfriend, Diane Bane, coaxed other friends to add to the collection. The Shoe Tree was thus born. (I did an article about this for The Daily News of Batavia in 2009.)

A local conservation officer wasn’t happy to see the tree become a depository for so many shoes back then. But Baun’s exploits became contagious.

LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville captured the title for best-tasting water in Orleans County during the Strawberry Festival this past weekend in Albion.

The Orleans County Health Department had people try Sample “A” for Lyndonville and Sample “B” for Albion. Lyndonville was picked as best-tasting by 57 percent of the participants.

Both municipal water systems use water from Lake Ontario.

“This is a fun way to share with Orleans County residents the importance of safe water and the hard work all of the municipalities do to provide healthy, clear drinking water,” said Nola Goodrich-Kresse, public health educator for the county.

Lyndonville will now go to the regional water contest in Rochester and will be eligible to participate in New York State’s Best Tasting Water Contest at the New York State Fair.

Press release, Orleans County Sheriff’s Department

CARLTON – A 25-year-old Lyndonville woman died today in an accident at the routes 98 and 18 Y intersection.

Jessica Artica was traveling north when she stopped at the Y intersection in a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban. She then proceeded to cross into the path of an eastbound 1985 Peterbuilt dump truck operated by John Bush, 56, of Waterport. The truck is owned by Lynn-Ette and Son Farms of Kent.

Artica was pronounced dead at the scene by Orleans County Coroner Joe Fuller. Bush was not injured in the accident.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the fatal motor vehicle accident that occurred at 10:49 a.m. It appears that speed and alcohol were not a factor in the accident, Chief Deputy Thomas Drennan said. There were no tickets issued to Bush.

The Sheriff’s Department was assisted at the scene by Carlton FD, Albion FD, Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance and New York State Police DOT Inspectors.

Organizers postpone Jenn Suhr event due to rain

Photos by Tom Rivers – Jenn Suhr charges down the runway and gets ready to vault last Friday during a competition at the White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville. Suhr will be back in action at the White Birch at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

LYNDONVILLE – The community will have to wait another day to see Jenn Suhr and other leading pole vaulters compete at the White Birch Golf Course.

Suhr and five other vaulters competed at the White Birch last Friday. They were scheduled to be in action again today at 5:30 p.m. The threat of rain prompted organizers to push the event to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Suhr cleared 15 feet, 7 inches last Friday, the same height she topped to win a gold medal last year in London.

Janice Keppler of Medina also is competing in the event. She is currently the fourth-ranked pole vaulter in the country.

The second fairway at the golf course is being used for the event. Other competitors include: Heather Hamilton, the top-ranked vaulter in Canada; Claire Dishong of Brockport and Cornell University; Linda Hadfield of Utica and Tennessee University; and Erin Champion of Tennessee University.

The White Birch is located at 1515 North Lyndonville Rd.

Jenn Suhr clears the bar during a pole vaulting event last Friday at the White Birch. She cleared 15 feet, 7 inches, the height she passed to win a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics.