Provided photos: The Growlers Blues Band will perform July 28 at State Street Park.

Press Release, Orleans Renaissance Group

MEDINA – “Blue Thursdays” will be a series of free summer concerts at the State Street Park Pavilion in Medina, July through August.

The Print Shop and Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc./medinaalive.com, both of Medina, are bringing together top regional blues talent for a spectacular summer music series.

The Dave Viterna Band will kick off the series on July 7.

Beginning Thursday, July 7, and running for six Thursday evenings through August 11, the free concert series will feature six bands, starting with Medina’s own Dave Viterna Band.

Concert goers will enjoy top regional talent from the Buffalo area blues scene along with food by Cusimano’s Pizzeria and Parker’s Pit BBQ, with refreshments provided by award-winning establishments Leonard Oakes Estate Winery and 810 Meadworks.

In 2017, ORG facilitated the construction of a 24′ x 20′ timber-frame bandstand/pavilion in State Street Park as an outdoor venue for music events.

“The community has long desired a good outdoor venue for music events such as this,” said Chris Busch, president of ORG.

The group facilitated the construction of the bandstand/pavilion with funding obtained through a private benefactor along with the Medina DPW and some donated materials and labor.

“By the time the site was truly finished and ready, along came Covid and put our plans on hold,” said Busch. “We’ve been planning this event with The Print Shop for sometime and 2022 is the year it’s going to happen. We hope to make this a huge annual event.”

The performers booked for Medina are award-winning blues bands from the Buffalo area.

The concert lineup includes Dave Constantino, left, and Frank Grizanti.

“We wanted to kick off the series with top-notch talent that people here may not have had a chance to experience,” said Busch. “We’re really excited to bring these bands to Medina.”

The 2022 Blue Thursdays line-up includes:

• July 7 – Dave Viterna Band
• July 14 – Frank Grizanti Band
• July 21 – Jeremy Keyes Band
• July 28 – Growlers Blues Band
• August 4 – Dave Constantino Band
• August 11 – Maria Aurigema

“We want to give a big shout out to Dave Viterna who opened the doors to many of these bands for us,” said Busch. “Dave was a great help to us in getting Blue Thursdays off the ground.”

Additional sponsorship for this event was generously provided by Modern Mercantile and Main Street Liquor of Medina.

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Gloria Brent, owner of Modern Mercantile and Main Liquor for sponsoring the bands,” said Busch. “We couldn’t have done it without her generosity.”

All the concerts are free and open to the public. Shows run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. There are no rain dates.

“For up-to-date gig, any cancellations and venue information, people should go to bluethursdays.com,” said Busch. “If the show is going to be cancelled due to rain or for any last minute news, we’ll post there and on the Blue Thursdays Facebook page.”

Jeremy Keyes, left, and Maria Aurigema will perform this summer in Medina.

MEDINA – With rain in the forecast on Thursday, the signups for Medina’s Joint Recreation Summer program have been moved from Butts Park to the Wise  Intermediate School on Gwinn Street. The signups are from 5 to 7 p.m.

The summer parks and swim program will be starting July 5 and run through Aug. 12, a free program for children ages 6 to 12 in the Medina school district.

The parks program will be run at the Oak Orchard Elementary School campus with the pool program at the middle school.

The Village of Medina and towns of Ridgeway and Shelby all contribute to funding the program.

The parks program is for children ages 6 to 12. That program will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and until 3 p.m. on Fridays. Besides games, the program will include bowling, field trips, a carnival and other activities.

The swim program starts with a “mommy and me” class for children 6 months to age 2, classes for 3- and 4-year-olds, and then classes for levels 1 to 6. The full swim schedule will be available at registration.

Photos courtesy of Medina Central School

MEDINA – The Class of 2022 strolled outside this morning in front of the Junior-Senior High School, Intermediate School and Primary School to the cheers of the students for the annual senior walk.

Students and staff enjoyed this time-honored tradition and getting a chance to wish the graduates well and best of luck in their future endeavors.

This year’s class has 96 students potentially who will graduate on June 24.

The seniors carried signs with their future plans.

The entire student body from the elementary, middle and high schools formed a tunnel and applauded the class.

After the senior walk, the class was treated to a breakfast at the Shelby Volunteer Fire Hall.

Photos contributed: Walter Webster of Medina is shown in his high school graduation photo. Webster celebrated his 100th birthday Thursday with an open house at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Gail and John Vogt of Lyndonville.

MEDINA – Thursday was a day to celebrate for Walter Webster of Medina.

Webster was born June 9, 1922, a son of the late Walter and Carrie Mae Webster.

On Thursday, he was honored on the occasion of his 100th birthday at an open house at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Gail and John Vogt of Lyndonville. Dozens of friends and family stopped by to wish him well.

A lifelong resident of Medina, Webster graduated from Medina High School in 1942. He married the love of his life, Ione Rorick, on Aug, 4, 1946. Together, they raised their three children, David Webster, Gail (John) Vogt and Bruce (Molly) Webster on the family farm, where Walter farmed for 76 years.

After Ione died 14 years ago, Walter became a resident of Briarwood Manor in Lockport, until moving to the North Wing at Medina Memorial Hospital.

After his retirement from farming, Walter kept active. He was an avid bowler, loved playing euchre at the Senior Center and rode his bike on the towpath until he was 90.

His friends lovingly refer to him as “Wrong Way Webster,” a nickname he earned in high school after running the football 66 yards in the wrong direction.

Walter is an avid Buffalo Bills fan, as well as a big Medina Mustangs supporter. He loves mashed potatoes and oatmeal.

He said one of the reasons he has lived to be 100 is because of the dedicated staff at the North Wing.

MEDINA – The initial meet of Track and Field for middle school students at Wise Intermediate School has been postponed until tomorrow, because of the heavy rains during the night.

Resurrecting Track and Field Days for grades three through six is an idea of track coaches Mollie Mark and Melissa Valley.

Track and Field days began nearly 50 years ago under the leadership of physical education teachers Bill Ossont and Kay VanNostrand.

VanNostrand said she started teaching in 1964, and at that time, track and field at Oak Orchard Elementary School was only for boys in fifth and sixth grade.

“When Bill came here, he and I decided to do track and field for boys and girls,” VanNostrand said. “We eventually modified it for younger grades and included fourth- and fifth-grade students.”

Kathie Valley, Melissa’s mother, sent out a notice asking for volunteers to help with the new program, and VanNostrand responded.

“I’m excited to see it brought back,” VanNostrand said. “Kids in grades three through can shine in many events.”

Mark said parents and the community are invited to come to Wise Intermediate School Friday, Monday and Tuesday to watch the students participate. A spokesman at the school this morning said it will possibly be extended until Wednesday to make up for the lost day today.

“Each kid will be able to participate in two events, such as running the 50, 100, 200 or 400-meter dash; football and softball throw; and long jump or high jump,” Mark said.

She explained the track and field meets for elementary school children lasted until 2012. When Towne Elementary School and Oak Orchard reorganized, the meets were discontinued.

Mark, who has been teaching for 20 years, moved back to Wise Intermediate School this year and started thinking about bringing back the event, with the help of Melissa Valley, also a track coach.

“It will be good to get it started and get kids excited about running,” Mark said.

She said 90 to 100 students are involved.

“A lot of people we mentioned this to said they remember the track and field days and it was a lot of fun,” Mark said.

She encourages anyone to come and watch. On the final day, trophies will be awarded for each event.

Photos and information courtesy of Medina Marching Band

The Sherburne community in Chenango County hosted its 73rd annual pageant of bands from June 2nd through June 4th. This pageant is the oldest and longest running event of its kind in the state.

The Sherburne community, the Volunteer Fire Department and the Sherburne-Earlville Central School District come together to sponsor this event. There were 40 schools from around the state that participated and this was Medina’s second year at the competition. Medina was in Class AA for any event they participated in.

In jazz, Medina competed against two other bands in Class AA and earned 1st place with a score of 99. In concert band, Medina competed against three other schools and came in 2nd place with a score of 84. In small ensemble, Medina performed a clarinet quartet competing against two other schools and earned 2nd place with a score of 93.

The parade is a big event with 36 schools performing and the people in town begin setting up their chairs along Main Street on Friday night down the 3-mile route.

In Class AA Medina earned 1st place with a score of 98.25 and 1st place in color guard with 90.  In a separate drumline competition, Medina earned 1st place with 64.5.

Two other events were the White Sabres Drum & Bugle Corps in exhibition and the 3rd Marine Air Wing Rock Band from San Diego, CA.

This was the last competitive performance for the band in the 2021-2022 school year. The season will close with the band banquet.