MEDINA – A program launched in the fall of 2018 to promote reading in the community got some support from Medina Lions with a unique donation this morning.

When the Lions heard Medina’s We Read Program was in need of another little library, Lion Chris Keller volunteered to build one.

The We Read Program, with a goal is to promote reading in the community, was an idea of Medina High School’s English Department, led by Elizabeth Dickhut. With support from Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, We Read was launched in the fall of 2018.

Chris Keller, rear, watches as Catherine Cooper, director of Lee Whedon Memorial Library, and Jim Hancock, a member of Medina Lions Club, unveil a reading library Keller made on behalf of the Lions for the We Read Program.

The newest little library is a bit different from the other three, which are placed in strategic locations around Medina, such as Pine Street Park, Rotary Park and the Canal Village Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings.

Keller, who teaches at Albion Central School and is a talented woodcrafter, built this library with a cedar roof and then his wife Julie suggested he paint it in the Lions’ colors of yellow and blue. This library will be filled with books and placed in State Street Park.

The idea of We Read is to place books throughout the town where adults and children can take a book and keep it or return it or leave another book.

Goyette said she has noticed increased activity in the library at Pine Street Park, where the children’s books have been very popular.

“More adults are also starting to use the little library, and that’s great,” she said.

Dickhut said she loved that more people, such as the Lions Club, were getting involved.

“That was the whole idea of We Read – to promote reading to the community,” Dickhut said.

Hancock said people are also using the library in Rotary Park as a drop-off for people wanting to leave non-perishable food items.

Anyone is welcome and encouraged to leave books on any subject in the We Read libraries, or take a book to read.

Hancock said the Lions hope their donation of the little library will be a lasting tribute to the We Read Program.

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Provided photos: Congressman Chris Collins reads a proclamation honoring David Kusmierczak of Medina as Veteran of the Month in the New York 27th Congressional District. The ceremony took place Wednesday at the VFW in Medina.

MEDINA – David Kusmierczak didn’t think twice about joining the military as soon as he graduated from Medina High School in 1967.

He also didn’t hesitate to join the VFW (and later the American Legion) shortly after he finished his tour of duty and returned home in 1971.

It was this same dedication to veterans which has prompted him to step up and volunteer for any activity involving veterans in his community – a commitment which hasn’t gone unnoticed by his peers.

On Wednesday at the VFW in Medina, Congressman Chris Collins announced Kusmierczak as the Veteran of the Month in the New York 27th Congressional District.

The presentation was a complete surprise to Kusmierczak, who was told by Steve Johnson and Jim Freas there was going to be a veteran honored and they wanted all veterans to be there.

Kusmierczak wasn’t even suspicious when his wife Barbara and children Dan Taramasco and Jeanette Voelker showed up for the event. Another son, Matthew, had to work and couldn’t attend.

Barbara had been in on the award and provided Collins’ aide Alexandra Gould with his biography, which she read to the group gathered there.

Kusmierczak entered the United States Air Force in November 1967, because he didn’t want to be drafted into the Army. He completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, then became a security policeman, serving at many Air Force bases throughout the United States.

Then came his orders to go to Vietnam, and he was sent to Bien Hoa Air Force Base near Saigon. He was there two years, where he was in security at the bomb dump.

He arrived home in August 1971, and returned to his job at General Electric in Brockport, where he had worked the afternoon shift while still a junior in high school. After a year, he left and went to Harrison Radiator in Lockport, retiring from there after 33 years of employment.

A question about his life insurance policy led to a chance meeting with the woman who would become his wife.

Barbara sold insurance and he was put in contact with her when he had questions about his policy.

“She looked nice to me,” Kusmierczak said. “I used to call her up and pretend I needed to know how to cook something, when I really did know how to do it.”

They dated for two years before they were married in 2005. At one point, Barbara suggested maybe they should split and date other people, to make sure their relationship was going to work.

David Kusmierczak poses with his family after a surprise announcement by Congressman Chris Collins Wednesday, naming him Veteran of the Month in the New York 27th Congressional District. From left are Collins, Barbara Kusmierczak, David and their children Dan Taramasco of Rochester and Jeanette Voelker of Hamlin.

“I said, ‘No way.’ I threw down a calendar and told her to pick a date and that is when we would get married,” Kusmierczak said.

That was the fall of 2004 and the date she picked was June 25, 2005.

There were married by a justice of the peace at the Cobblestone Church in Childs, followed by a reception at the Village Inn.

After Kusmierczak retired from General Motors he stepped up his involvement in veterans’ activities.

“Frank Berger got me into the Honor Guard for a veteran’s funeral,” he said. “When their chaplain took ill, Dell Stork asked me to be chaplain. I still do that.”

He has been a member of the American Legion for 28 years and a chaplain at the VFW.

Then Berger introduced Kusmierczak to the Orleans County Joint Veterans’ Council, where he became their chaplain and has been president for four years. He has also been chaplain for the Orleans County American Legion for two years and for the Orleans County Legislature for three years. Whenever the Legion and VFW are placing flags on veterans’ graves, firing gun salutes at veterans’ memorial sites or marching in local parades, Kusmierczak is sure to be there.

He is actively involved in fundraising for the Butts-Clark American Legion and supports the Healing Presence Program, which gathers and distributes Christmas presents to homebound and nursing home veterans. Last year Kusmierczak distributed 69 packages to veterans.

He also participates in Wreaths Across America at Boxwood Cemetery and in any fundraisers for the VFW and American Legion.

He said when Gould started reading his biography, he soon realized she was talking about him.

He said it is a real honor and he has a spot all picked out on top of their curio cabinet to display the framed American flag which Collins presented him. The flag was flown over the U.S. Capitol in Kusmierczak’s honor on July 17.

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MEDINA – Marty Busch is being praised for helping the Village of Medina implement several local laws and policies that have encouraged investment in the downtown business district, Maple Ridge Corridor and some of the struggling residential neighborhoods.

Busch had his last day in the office on Tuesday after 24 years as code enforcement officer. Medina Mayor Michael Sidari has declared Sept. 28 as “Marty Busch Day” in the village. That is Busch’s last official day working for the village.

In a proclamation on Tuesday, Sidari said Busch has made Medina a safer community by enforcing the instruction and building codes.

Busch helped Medina pass several local laws for property maintenance, sign standards and a vacant house registry, laws that Sidari said “will have a long-lasting positive influence on the village.”

Early in his career with the village, Busch was at a conference in Saratoga, where he was wowed by the community’s thriving historic business district.

“They passed historic preservation standards and they stuck with it,” Busch said.

He brought that message to Medina, and the Planning Board and Village Board implemented similar standards.

Buildings owners took on ambitious projects, breathing new life into buildings from the 1800s. The investments spurred more investments, and now the downtown is a destination and an envy of many small canal towns.

“People saw someone take on a building and bring it to its potential,” Busch said.

The community is fortunate to have many people with a vision for businesses and buildings, he said.

Marty Busch accepts a proclamation declaring Sept. 28 as “Marty Busch Day” in Medina. That is Busch’s last official day of work. The Village Board hosted a retirement for Busch on Tuesday afternoon, which was attended by Kathy Blackburn of the Medina Business Association and Jim Whipple, chief executive officer of the Orleans Economic Development Agency.

Busch has been the code officers while new businesses built in the Medina Business Park or along the Maple Ridge Corridor. Busch and the village officials often pushed chain stores to up the ante with their proposed buildings, going for brick and some extensive landscaping.

“We really do have a gem of a village,” Busch said at a retirement party on Tuesday at the Village Office. Our Main Street is second to none. We have outstanding parks. I think the best is yet to come. We’ll keep rolling and Medina will be incredible in a very short time.”

Mayor Sidari credited Busch with working well with property owners and businesses while they developed plans for projects, and then did the construction.

“Marty was the catalyst for the transformation of downtown Medina,” Sidari said. “Not only the downtown, but the entire village as well. Between the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, they brought several ideal laws to pass.”

Sidari said a recent law establishing a vacant building registry, which includes fines, has encouraged those property owners to either fix up the houses or sell them. It has reduced the number of vacant homes from about 80 to 45.

Busch admitted the codes officer is a job “where you never make everybody happy.” People usually don’t like being told what to do with their property, or if there are violations.

Cindy Robinson, the Medina Business Association president, said Busch was fair and helped people understand the zoning ordinances.

“If you did things right, there was never an issue,” she said. “Marty never scared anyone away (from investing) in Medina.”

Dan Gardner of Lyndonville is following Busch as code enforcement officer.

Medina firefighter Jeff Tuohey shakes Marty Busch’s hand on Tuesday, Busch’s last day in the office. Busch said h has had a great working relationship with Medina firefighters and police officers.

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Roger Hungerford, right, a member of Medina High School’s Class of 1969, chats with Charles Slack during a get-together Saturday at the former high school, which Hungerford is restoring. Hungerford hosted the class in a reception and tour of the building.

MEDINA – The Class of 1969’s high school reunion last weekend was special in more than one way.

Not only was it their 50th class reunion and a time to discuss pains, operations and children, but classmates got to tour their old alma mater, which is being restored and repurposed by classmate Roger Hungerford.

After a get-together Friday at Fitzgibbons, Hungerford, who plans to turn the former Medina High School into upscale apartments called Mustang City, provided hors d’oeuvres, wine and champagne in the area which formerly housed Lee Whedon Memorial Library.

Before embarking on a tour of the building, classmates posed for a picture in front of the high school.

Gary Apps and his wife from Kalamazoo, Mich. try to attend his reunion every five years. After graduating from Medina High School, Apps attended Cornell University, Texas A&M, Western Michigan University and Cooley Law School. After receiving a law degree, his love of automobiles prompted him to pursue an automotive degree from Kalamazoo Valley Community College, “so he could work on cars,” he said. He also owned Dan’s Cans in Medina until deciding to sell it this summer.

Bob Martin of Medina said this was the third reunion he had attended. He didn’t want to miss this one because it was “kind of a milestone,” he said.

John Pratt of Medina attended with his wife Sharlene.

“It’s so nice someone has such vision to restore the high school,” Pratt said. “So many of us graduated from this school and to see something positive being done with it is beautiful.”

The rooms which formerly housed Lee-Whedon Memorial Library at Medina High School were turned into a reception area for the Class of 1969 reunion Saturday. Here, chefs Jose Ocasio, left, and Lionel Heydel, who will run a new restaurant in Bent’s Opera House, arrange hors d’oeuvres for classmates, before a tour of the old high school.

“Our MHS Class of 1969 Reunion Committee, on behalf of the entire class, want to thank Roger for his generosity and hospitality in offering the tour of our high school, giving us an opportunity to once again walk our ‘Hallowed Halls of Ivy,’” said Sarah Christy Gibson. “We are grateful for his dedication to Medina and his efforts in restoring some of Medina’s historic properties. The tour was very informative, giving us all insight into his plans for the restoration and reuse of our beautiful old school.”

The Class of 1969 graduated 170 students, although 205 were listed as one-time class members. Some moved away prior to graduation and did not graduate with the class.

Hungerford’s memories of high school include the time he was chastised by his teacher, Vito Misiti, for not doing his homework.

“It was the fall of my senior year,” Hungerford said. “He asked what I was going to do next year. I had been early accepted into college and Vito asked how long I expected to stay there. I told him until I graduated. He said, ‘I give you three months.’”

The Class of 1969 poses outside their alma mater during a reception and tour of the building Saturday hosted by classmate Roger Hungerford, who is converting the high school into apartments. Hungerford is in the front row near the center in the pink shirt.

Brian Napoli, who said their class was the first ninth-grade class at Wise Junior High School, said he couldn’t believe it had been 50 years since they graduated.

“This building needs a lot of work, but it will be very beautiful,” he said.

The class was honored to have their Foreign Exchange student, Carlos Antonio Dantas De Oliveria from Natal, Brazil, attend his first class reunion.

He said this was such a special reunion, he had to come.

“The school has changed, but for the better,” he said.

Annette Strickland Allport, a member of the Class of 1969, talks with chefs Jose Ocasio and Lionel Heydel during a reception at the former Medina High School, hosted by classmate Roger Hungerford.

Annette Strickland Allport of Florida has previously attended the fifth, 20th, 25th and 40th reunions. After graduating from Medina High School, she majored in music at college and taught music for 20 years in Ithaca. She moved to Florida, where she transitioned into administration, then went back to teaching.

“I am so pleased with what Roger is doing,” she said. “I really appreciate his philanthropic efforts. It is great when someone can give back to their community, and that’s what he is doing. The things he is doing will have an impact on this community for 100 years or more.”

The Reunion Committee included, in addition to Gibson, Jim Heminway, John Misiti, Lisa South Misiti, Sue Bloom Kingsley, Rob Cook, Marcia Hellert Cook, Gloria Dubay Bath, Janet Hall Smith, Sue Hickey Slack, Brian Napoli, Patty Olinger Woodworth, Linda Schrader Paron and Arlene Wigley Pawlaczyk.

Brian Napoli of Medina, left, chats with classmates during a get-together of the Class of 1969 at the former Medina High School. With him are Gloria “Peachy” Dubay of Middleport; Gary Apps of Kalamazoo, Mich.; and Sarah Christy Gibson of Jonesborough, Tenn.

A dinner on Saturday evening at Shelridge Country Club for 49 class members concluded the reunion weekend. Class president John Misiti welcomed everyone and extended thanks to the Reunion Committee for putting the event together and to Hungerford for hosting the tour and reception at the high school.

Gibson has coordinated reunions and kept in touch with classmates for all 50 years. She came from Jonesborough, Tenn. to attend the reunion. During Saturday evening, the committee presented her with a print of the high school, which was originally given by John Misiti’s mother to the high school in memory of her husband, Vito. She had commissioned local artist Arthur Barnes to paint the picture.

“It is beautiful, and I am absolutely thrilled with it,” Gibson said.

The hallway at the old Medina High School on Catherine Street was lined with posters for the Class of 1969 reunion outlining the work class member Roger Hungerford is doing to restore several historic properties in Medina, including the high school. He has named the high school building Mustang City.

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Martin Busch was recognized on Aug. 6 by the Medina Planning Board for his 24 years as the village code enforcement office.

MEDINA – Marty Busch, Medina’s code enforcement officer, was recognized last week by the Medina Planning Board during his last meeting as the village’s code officer before his retirement next month.

The board presented Busch with a certificate of appreciation for Busch’s “pursuit of excellence in planning, sign and preservation of our community and heritage.”

The Planning Board also functions as Medina’s Architectural and Historic Review Board.

Busch has been the village’s code enforcement officer for 24 years, during a time of renaissance in the downtown business district and expansion in Medina’s Business Park.

He was praised for helping to craft design standards for the community and for working with business owners and residents to meet those regulations.

In a letter to the Village Board on June 24, Busch thanked the village officials and community for the opportunity to work in Medina.

“The job introduced me to people, took me places and showed me things I never could have imagined,” Busch wrote in his letter. “Most of all I am extremely grateful to have worked with and for the most dedicated, hard working and in some cases brave people I have ever known. Medina is truly blessed to have such public employees and officials.”

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