By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 August 2014 at 12:00 am
Provided photos – Students from Albion, Lyndonville and Medina rehearse for an first-time elementary honors band concert that was performed last Thursday in Medina.
MEDINA – It was a first-ever concert for elementary band students last Thursday. A group of top musicians from three elementary schools got together for a concert – in the summer.
Nearly 100 first- and second-year instrumental musicians from Albion, Lyndonville and Medina rehearsed last week for four days before a Thursday concert before about 300 people at Medina.
“We wanted the kids to keep playing during the summer,” said Jeanette Sheliga of Medina, who helped coordinate the program. “It’s a way to keep them engaged.”
The students gather for a photo with teachers John Bailey of Lyndonville and Jeanette Sheliga of Medina.
Sheliga is the elementary band teacher in Medina. She and John Bailey, the band teacher in Lyndonville, spearheaded last week’s program.
Sheliga said she first pushed for the program with Wayne Burlison, the Albion band teacher. The two attended Fredonia State College together. They wanted to have the bands and teachers at the elementary schools collaborate.
“Wayne wanted to get the kids together,” Sheliga said. “The kids would become friends with kids from other districts.”
Burlison was diagnosed with colon cancer in December and died from the disease at age 36 on March 26. He was remembered during Thursday’s concert.
Sheliga said the three districts want to continue the program and could alternate schools to host the concert in the future.
“We were very pleased for our first year,” she said. “It’s something we want to keep doing.”
Students practice for their concert last week in Medina.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 July 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
Russ Martino, a member of the Lyndonville Lions Club, leads the crowd in doing the motions to the song “YMCA” during a concert by Crash Cadillac. The band from Buffalo performed at the Yates Town Park along Lake Ontario at the end of Morrison Road. Martino was the town supervisor when Yates created the park about seven years ago. Current Town Supervisor John Belson, center, and Jeff Johnson join in the dance.
Don Vaccaro, guitarist and singer for Crash Cadillac, leads the band in singing “Sweet Caroline” during a concert this evening at Yates Town Park.
Wes Bradley, left, and other Lyndonville Lions were called up by the band and asked to lead the crowd in the song, “YMCA.”
About 200 people attended the concert at the park by the lake. The Lions Club and Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council both sponsored the event.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 July 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
YATES – The Lyndonville Shoe Tree has been a craze since 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 at the corner of Foss and Lakeshore roads.
Baun started a popular tradition in the Lyndonville community that shows no signs of slowing down. I stopped by the row of four ash trees this evening on a way to a concert at the Yates Town Park.
The Shoe Tree is a whimsical attraction, with hundreds of shoes nailed to the trunks of the trees or dangling from branches high above.
The Shoe Tree is featured on Web sites and was included in a 2008 book called “New York Curiosities.”
LYNDONVILLE – Two people were injured in an ATV accident at about 11:37 p.m. on Saturday.
Troopers from the State Police in Albion responded to an Orleans County Sheriff’s Office dispatch of an ATV accident on Lake Shore Road in the Town of Yates.
Investigation shows that the operator Derrick A. Harmer, 44, of Lyndonville was traveling westbound on Lake Shore Road at a high rate of speed and lost control of the ATV on wet roads.
The ATV overturned and came to rest right side up in the opposite lane. Both operator and passenger Laura A. Harmer, 49, of Lyndonville, were ejected from the ATV with neither wearing a helmet.
Derrick Harmer suffered head injuries and was transported by Mercy Flight to Erie County Medical Center and is currently listed in critical condition.
Laura Harmer was transported to Medina Memorial Hospital by Medina Ambulance and later transported by Mercy Flight to ECMC. She has been treated and released.
Derrick Harmer has been charged with ATV Violations with other charges pending.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 July 2014 at 12:32 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – Young Explosives once again put on a big fireworks show at Lyndonville to cap off the Fourth of July celebration. The Lyndonville Lions Club is the main organizer for the annual festival with help from several other community groups and the Village of Lyndonville and Town of Yates.
The top photo was during the fireworks finale with a big crowd in the school’s sports fields.
People gathered on Main Street, watching the fireworks over the dam at Johnson Creek.
These people watch from a sidewalk along Main Street by Johson Creek.
The pond at Johnson Creek provides a reflection of the fireworks.
Many people brought their own lawn chairs or blankets and settled in for the show.
Before the fireworks, four Albion friends played with sparklers, including from left: Kendall Derisley, Olivia Krenning, Olivia’s brother Seth Krenning, and Kendall’s twin sister Paige Derisley.
A long line of people wait to buy funnel cakes and other treats before the fireworks show.
Tom Zangerle, left, and the “Happy Ending” band played before the fireworks. The band had its own lighting display.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 July 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – Sometimes it’s hard to just pick one picture. Last night around midnight I picked pictures from the Lyndonville fireworks. I liked the ones with the reflection over the Johnson Creek pond in front of the school, but I only used one from those, wanting to get other angles and scenes.
After looking through the reflection pictures this afternoon, I think a lot of them are worth sharing. So here are some more.
We do sell prints of Hub photos. Click here for more information.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 July 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – The Lyndonville Marching Band performs in today’s parade.
The Lyndonville Marching Band
LYNDONVILLE – The village of Lyndonville is full of patriotic pep today as the community hosts its 42nd annual Fourth of July celebration.
The event will be capped off with fireworks at 10 p.m. from the school campus.
At noon a parade started down Platten Road before emerging to big crowds of people on Main Street.
A 1950 Farmall was among several tractors in today’s parade.
The Oak Orchard Assembly of God on Ridge Road in Medina had a float in the parade called “Kids Krusade.” It promoted the church’s upcoming Vacation Bible School.
Orleans County Chief Coroner Scott Schmidt waves from a vintage hearse he drove in the parade.
Ray Bates and other veterans are escorted down Platten Road in the parade.
Gia Arnold, a State Senate candidate from Holley, walks in the parade and handed out information to people along the route.
Rachael Tabelski pushes her son Adrian in a group that included State Sen. George Maziarz, County Legislator Don Allport and State Assemblyman Steve Hawley.
Boy Scouts and one of their leaders also joined in the parade procession.
The Orleans County 4-H Clover was out celebrating the holiday. The 4-H Fair runs from July 21-26 in Knowlesville.
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
LYNDONVILLE – The Village of Lyndonville was packed today when everyone chose their spots to watch the parade.
Before the event began, the bandstand had parents and kids gather in the center of the road to dance to the hokey pokey and YMCA.
Uncle Sam started the parade down Main Street, waving to the crowd as he passed.
Veterans were recognized with massive applause as they followed Uncle Sam. Many observers stood up to show respect.
Members of Dance Theater in Medina joined in the parade.
One of Gia Arnold’s daughters enjoys the ride in the parade. Her mother is running for State Senate against George Maziarz.
The Gates Keystone Club Police Pipes and Drums band played drums and bagpipes. The band was founded to honor their fallen. The band attends many community festivals and events each year.
The Oak Orchard Kids Krusade promoted their Vacation Bible School program “Take the Plunge!” by spraying the crowd with water.
Treble in the Streets, a band of Lyndonville alumni, sang the national anthem when they reached the announcer’s bandstand.
Hamlin Dog Control and the Hamlin Dog Shelter encouraged everyone to adopt a pet to love and save a life. The heart on the back reads “Dogs leave paw prints on our hearts.”
The Lyndonville Tigers school band marches down Main Street. Many students were showing their patriotic pride through red, white and blue accessories.
Tonight the band “Happy Ending” will play in the Lyndonville High School parking lot on Housel Avenue from 7 p.m. until the firework display at 10 p.m.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 July 2014 at 12:00 am
Lions Club will put on 42nd annual July 4th celebration
File photos by Tom Rivers – A man sits back and enjoys the fireworks show last July 4 on the Lyndonville school campus.
The parade heads down Platten Road where it becomes Maple Avenue. Most of the action at the festival is on the school grounds.
LYNDONVILLE – Orleans County’s smallest village will be the place to be on July Fourth. Several thousand people are expected to show up for the parade at noon and stay for many other events, including the fireworks at 10 p.m.
“It’s a lot of work but we take a lot of satisfaction in it,” said event chairman Richard Pucher.
He and other members of the Lyndonville Lions Club are organizing the Fourth of July Festival, which is now in its 42nd year. Pucher said the Lions don’t do the event alone. Village of Lyndonville, the school district, Lyndonville Fire Department, the Town of Yates and M & T Bank all play big roles in the planning and running of the festival.
“It’s a whole community effort,” Pucher said.
The Lions Club has 30 members and divvy up the work with different members heading food, chicken barbecue, the parade, fireworks and other events.
Pucher expects a bigger crowd because the Fourth falls on a Friday. He knows many family and class reunions are timed for the weekend and some of those out-of-towners will likely stop by the festival.
“We know that many residents who have moved away come back for this,” Pucher said.
Some of the events include:
An arts and crafts show on the school front lawn from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hot dog stand on front lawn
Parade on Main Street at noon. Theme this year is “Honoring our American Farmers”
Bounce House for kids from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Concert by Gates Keystone Club Police Pipes & Drums at 1:30 p.m. on the front lawn
Chicken barbecue with baked beans and salt potatoes from 1 to 5 p.m. in LCS Cafeteria
Hospice Duck Race at 3 p.m. on Johnson Creek
WNY Garden Tractor Pull from 1 to 4 p.m. on Housel Avenue
Happy Ending Band from 7 p.m. until the fireworks, in the high school parking lot
Fireworks at 10 p.m. Presented by Young Explosives
Photos by Sue Cook – Yates Community Library Director Emily Cebula shows off jellyfish that the youngest children made with bowls and streamers. The craft was oriented toward children that are pre-readers, which encourages them to have an adult read to them.
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
LYNDONVILLE – “Fizz, Boom, Read!” is this year’s summer reading program theme. The stories and activities are all focused around science and experiments through reading and hands-on learning.
Yates Community Library starts their activities a little earlier than the other libraries of Orleans County.
“I found last year, we had a program the very first week after school let out, and I could not believe the number of kids that came,” said Emily Cebula, director of the library in Lyndonville. “They just seemed they were ready to jump from school to doing something at the library, so I wanted to take advantage of that.”
Yates Community Library has chosen to focus on very young children through age 12. Yates has about 30 children that sign up for the Reading Club. About 10 to 35 children show up for the activities each week as well.
The program offers children a weekly opportunity to visit the library for a fun activity to help them retain some of what they learned in school.
Cebula explained that the themes cover a large variety of topics, so there will always be something for every child.
“They have everything from weather related items to chemistry to animal science,” she said.
During the program, books will be set out that relate to the overall program and more closely to the day’s activities, such as animal books when the Buffalo Zoomobile comes to visit.
“This year is going to be a busy summer for me, so we are also going to make use of what our NIOGA library system offers,” Cebula said. “They have two summer interns that are college age, young ladies that are wonderful. They are there through the goodness of a grant from the Grigg-Lewis Foundation.”
The interns help run the summer reading program events. On Friday, they had organized a fake crime scene where the freebie items were stolen with their supervisor at NIOGA. The children had to use their powers of observation to try and figure out what happened to be able to create a sketch of what they think happened at the crime scene. The children then went on to learning about fingerprinting and the different shapes of fingerprints.
“Normally we would have a craft, but this is more science experiments and that kind of thing,” she said, talking about the hands-on learning the summer reading program provides.
The Collaborative Summer Library Program has paired with National Geographic Kids this year to create this program. The libraries are given a massive notebook of activity options that can be tailored to what they are able to offer. They also receive science kits associated with their chosen activities. The program also makes an effort to coincide with Common Core learning.
The kits at the Yates library will include thunder tubes, rain sticks, buzzing magnets, Newton’s cradles, electric energy balls, pressure mats, motors and much more.
Children that register for the Reading Club portion of program are given a folder that acts as a starter kit, which includes a bookmark, door hanger, stickers, sticker chart, and a list of events.
“We have many grandparents and dads that like to come,” said Cebula. She was impressed at the number of parents that were excited to get their children participating.
“I also want kids to know that there’s another group of adults in their community that cares about them and makes sure they’re getting what they need in here and makes sure they’re safe and welcome,” she said. “All four of our staff members are very good at that. All of the children that come feel very welcome.”
Patrons of the local libraries can also take advantage of the NIOGA network to request books available at different library. This allows patrons take advantage of the 17,000 books available at the Yates library or to access books in any other Niagara, Orleans or Genesee county library.
The programs offered are free, however, some require registration due to limited space. The activities vary by library and most run into mid-August. Some libraries in the area will be offering activities for teens. For a list of activities, check with your local library.
Photos by Sue Cook – Patrick Hinkson shakes hands with school superintendent Jason Smith. Behind him, Regina Corser receives her degree from Theodore Lewis, president of the Board of Education.
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Class of 2014 walked the auditorium stage Friday night for the district’s 74th commencement, which happened to be the 50th anniversary of the school on Housel Avenue.
The Class of 1964 was invited to the ceremony to signify the importance of the event. The 1964 valedictorian, John Woodworth, and salutatorian, Constance Maines, were given an opportunity to address students.
Maines delivers her speech to the students and reminds them their excellence is a foundation for the rest of their lives.
“To anybody out there who might think they’re average,” said Maines, addressing the students, “you’re average in a school that is in the top 6 percent of schools in the country. So don’t let anything hold you back. The average here is superlative in many places.”
Forty two students earned their diplomas and walked the stage. Many of the students earned scholarships and awards with some receiving multiple accolades. Forty five scholarships were awarded in total.
Heather Mufford tells her classmates about how they are still working to complete their lives.
Salutatorian Heather Mufford told the students how their lives were like puzzles. High school had completed part of the puzzle.
“The moment we move our tassels from the right to the left, we’ll earn that last connecting puzzle piece,” said Mufford. “We’ll have successfully completed the border to the puzzle that represents our life. High school was only the border to the puzzle, the foundation for the rest. There are still plenty of pieces to be sorted out of the box, which represents the future.”
Graduate Brennan O’Connor directs the band in playing the Lyndonville alma mater.
Valedictorian Abigail Feldman was unable to attend the ceremony. She is attending a Distinguished Young Women scholarship event in Mobile, Alabama. Feldman made a recording of her speech, which was played for the audience.
“You have to take responsibility for you actions. Growing up means being able to say ‘I lost it,’ instead of ‘it got lost,'” Feldman said.
She continued with other life lessons. “Honesty is always the best policy. When you do the right thing, the majority of the time life will reward you.”
The school principal, Dr. Aaron Slack, told the students about how they should always do the right things when other people are not monitoring their lives and actions.
“I would say that many of your greatest successes as a class have come when you’ve taken the lead,” he said.
Chelsey Silversmith, Dalton Cerbone and Cheyenne Button look on with their classmates during Slack’s speech.
As each student crossed the stage, their names were announced loud and proud as if they were being called onto the field at a sporting event. It gave great importance to each name and the audience joined in by cheering.
“These kids are awesome,” Jennifer Trupo, vocal music teacher, said after the ceremony. “In one capacity or another I worked almost every single kid on that stage in the short time I’ve been here. The school is going to miss them a lot. We celebrate these kids. For every single one of them it is a major accomplishment. I love that Mark Hughes shouts their names and everyone cheers for them because they really should be celebrated.”
After the ceremony, Musa Mansur shows off an orange golf ball that reads LCS, which was a gift to each student.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Fauzia Aajan was an orphan in Afghanistan
Photo by Tom Rivers – Fauzia Aajan will graduate on Friday, ranked seventh in her class at Lyndonville.
LYNDONVILLE – She arrived a decade ago – shy, malnourished and without a birthday.
Fauzia Aajan spent her first seven years in Afghanistan. When she was 1, her mother died. Her father died when Fauzia was 6.
She seldom attended school, staying with her aunt to help care for a brother suffering from hemophilia.
This Friday Fauzia will graduate from Lyndonville Central School, ranked number 7 in her class. She will attend college this fall at Daeman to major in early childhood education.
Fauzia, 17, may be one of the most grateful graduates to walk across the stage on Friday. If she had stayed in Afghanistan, she would have few opportunities, especially as a girl.
“I have a different perspective because I come from a country where girls don’t get an education,” Fauzia said during an interview at Lyndonville school last week. “In Afghanistan the women are housewives.”
Provided photo – Fauzia Aujan and her brother Sabir came from Afghanistan to Orleans County as part of the Project Life program. Here they are pictured in 2004.
She arrived in Orleans County in the summer of 2004 with her brother Sabir. They were participants in Project Life, a program at the World Life Institute in Waterport that gives orphans some respite in the countryside. Most of the children come from war-ravaged countries such as Chechnya, Bosnia and Afghanistan, as well as Sri Lanka after the devastating tsunami hit.
The kids stay with host families for the summer, learn some English, take art classes, get medical and dental checkups, and have lots of fun.
Idris Salih and his wife Stella Gresham hosted Fauzia and Sabir, who was 9 at the time. Sabir had to be led off the airplane in a wheelchair. He received immediate medical care for his hemophilia.
Nearly all 131 of the Project Life children have returned to their home countries. Fauzia and Sabir have stayed, with Salih and Gresham serving as their guardians.
Photo courtesy of Idris Salih – Stella Gresham and Fauzia have fun at Niagara Falls.
The two siblings played soccer at Lyndonville, made many friends and inspired students and staff with their drive to excel in the classroom. Sabir, 20, just graduated from Genesee Community College. He played soccer for GCC and plans to study mechanical engineering at the University of Buffalo.
“You never see ‘give up’ in either of these kids,” said Shane Price, a Lyndonville earth science teacher who worked with Sabir and Fauzia with a college prep program called AVID. “A lot of other kids might give up, but that’s not in their vocabulary.”
Fauzia struggled early with English. She has had to put in extra time to make sure she understands her school work.
“She has inspired a lot of kids to work harder,” Price said. “She sets the bar higher.”
Lyndonville’s principal, Dr. Aaron Slack, said Fauzia and Sabir broadened the students’ horizons, showing them there is a big world.
“They’ve brought a lot to the district, helping us to recognize and appreciate diversity,” Slack said.
Fauzia speaks about the conditions in Afghanistan in some of her classes, especially public speaking. She talks about the poverty of the country, the limited opportunities for girls and many children who are orphaned.
“She has done speeches about her heritage and her story,” said Elissa Smith, a Spanish and public speaking teacher, as well as coordinator of the college prep program. “She does not take for granted any of the opportunities. She has been a reminder that there are children in other places and what they would give for this education.”
Photo by Tom Rivers – Fauzia Aujan appreciates the education and caring atmosphere at Lyndonville Central School.
After Fauzia delivers a speech, her classmates will have their hands up to ask questions about burqas that are worn by some Muslim women, some of the foods in Afghanistan, and other cultural differences.
Fauzia is happy to answer the questions. But she admits she doesn’t have all of the answers, including about herself. She doesn’t know her birthday. It is listed as Jan. 1 on her Passport and official documentation.
Her mother died when Fauzia was 1, and her father died five years later. Fauzia doesn’t know what caused their deaths. She remembers living with her aunt, who worked in a factory.
The factory owner was connected with Project Life. He heard about Sabir and Fauzia.
Idris Salih and Stella Gresham agreed to be a host family for the two siblings in 2004. Sabir’s untreated hemophilia was life threatening. He received needed medication that wasn’t available in Afghanistan.
Salih and Gresham welcomed the two siblings into their family, which includes their daughter Lyuba.
“She has inspired a lot of kids to work harder. She sets the bar higher.” – Lyndonville teacher Shane Price
Fauzia was in elementary school at Lyndonville in first and second grade. She attended school at Sandy Creek Academy in Holley for three years and was home-schooled a year before rejoining Lyndonville for eighth grade.
Photo courtesy of Idris Salih – Fauzia played soccer at Lyndonville and also ran track for one season, doing the 100 meter sprint and the long jump.
She admits she often felt overwhelmed with her school work. Not only was she playing catch up from attending very little school before age 7, but she was learning in a language that wasn’t her native tongue.
“The teachers have been very helpful,” she said. “They’re always there when I need something.”
She played all over the field in soccer – “wherever the coach decides to put me.” And she worked on stage crew in school musicals before joining the cast this year for “Into the Woods” and the senior play.
“It was kind of scary, but I like to push myself,” she said about being on stage.
She is a regular volunteer at the World Life Institute, teaching English and art to war orphans, and chaperoning trips.
She also volunteers at the WLI in other programs, working with the children of farmworkers in crafts, art and English activities.
Fauzia’s goal is to become an elementary school teacher.
Salih doesn’t doubt she will achieve that goal and that her brother will become an engineer.
“Fauzia and her brother have both grown tremendously,” he said. “They’re good kids, and they both have a drive to succeed. They have such a positive outlook.”
LYNDONVILLE – Students were given a sobering message this morning at Lyndonville Central School, a day before the prom.
Some Lyndonville students teamed with local firefighters and police to simulate a crash in the parking lot due to a drunk driver. Firefighters, police and the school district wanted to remind students of the deadly dangers of drunk driving with prom season and graduation parties just around the corner.
Lyndonville students in the simulated crash wore makeup so their faces and shirts appeared bloodied. Firefighters tore apart the vehicles to get access to the students, who were then removed by stretcher and taken away in an ambulance.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Holley, Kendall and Lyndonville budgets pass
Voters approved school budgets in Holley, Kendall and Lyndonville. In the closest vote in Orleans County for a proposition, Holley opposed reducing the size of the Board of Education from seven to five seats. That vote was 290 opposed to 287 in favor.
Holley’s $25,070,000 budget is cutting taxes by $800,000 or 10.6 percent. That budget passed, 443-138.
Voters approved, 403 to 172, a proposition to establish a capital reserve fund for up to $2.5 million.
A proposition to raise $104,705 in taxes for the Community Free Library passed 450 to 131.
Three BOE members were elected with incumbents Robin Silvis, 390, and Salvatore DeLuca Jr., 373, each receiving three-year terms. Former Board President John Heise will return to the board after taking a year off. He received 368 votes and will serve a two-year term.
Kendall
It was smooth sailing in Kendall with the $14,826,116 budget passing, 196-46. The 2014-15 budget will increase taxes by 1.36 percent.
A proposition to spend up to $250,000 from the district’s school replacement reserve fund passed 195-46.
A new member was elected to the Board of Education. Chaley Swift, the lone candidate for a five-year term, received 220 votes. She replaces Lucille Welch who decided against seeking re-election after 10 years on the board.
Lyndonville
The $13,188,750 budget passed and so did a transportation reserve account. Voters also approved creating a new capital reserve account that would have up to $2 million. The money can only be expended with voter approval.
Voters also approved $84,637 for Yates Community Library.
Incumbent Susan Hrovat was re-elected to a three-year term. She was unopposed.
HILTON, NY – Lakeside Karate students have a smashing outcome Sat., May 10, 2014, at the Sensei Jim Grafe Memorial Karate Tournament held in Hilton, N.Y. This Karate tournament donates a portion of its proceeds to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and has done so since its inception over 12 years ago. The tournament honors the memory of Sensei Jim Grafe, who was an inspirational Karate Teacher who changed many karate students’ lives before his untimely passing in 2002.
The students of Lakeside Karate in Lyndonville practiced for many months to sharpen their martial arts skills for this competition and the hard work was rewarded. If you happen to see one of the students please congratulate them on their personal achievement.
Margaret Klotzbach placed First in Girls Novice Clicker Sparring and placed 2nd place in Girls Novice Kata.
Emma Maynard placed 2nd in Girls Novice Creative Board Breaking. Connor Bell placed First in Boys Novice Kata, Second in Boys Clicker Sparring and First in Boys Novice Creative Board Breaking.
Sensei George F. Kiefer tied for First Place in Advanced Men’s Power Brick Breaking.
