Photos by Ginny Kropf: Bailey Papaj, who recently joined AJs Play Date as director of operations, sits in the main play room, where new things are being added all the time.

MEDINA – When Adam and Kerry Papaj needed to add more help at AJs Play Date, they knew the perfect candidate – daughter Bailey.

Bailey, who has a degree in public health and education and previously worked as a social learning specialist in Greece, has joined the family business as director of operations.

“I just had a baby and didn’t want to do the long drive every day,” Bailey said. “I wanted to be closer to home. And I had previously helped here as event coordinator, so it was obvious to me a director of operations was needed.”

As owner, Adam said he and Kerry had gone as far as they could, both having other jobs, as well. Adam drives school bus and Kerry is a speech pathologist at Lyndonville Central School.

The business, which opened in August 2019, has been a big hit. They recently utilized the north end of the building on West Avenue for AJs Café, which serves quick foods, such as pizza, chicken nuggets, snacks, cookies, beverages and ice cream. The area can accommodate families in a safe environment who come in for a party or special occasion or want to include a bite to eat in their play experience.

Bailey has plans to expand events, to be a destination for birthday parties and field trips.

Another added feature is massage chairs, where parents can pay for a massage in 15-minute increments while their children play. A six-minute massage is free on Massage Mondays when paying for a child’s entry.

Bailey also has a full lineup of special events planned during the summer. She has invited a firefighter,  magician, Challenge Island Steam Camp, someone knowledgeable in science and technology, arts and math. A children’s yoga instructor be available, as well. Special days will feature a “farmer-in-training” day, “super hero-in-training” day, “chef-in-training” day, “artist-in-training” day and a music and movement day.

Adam Papaj and his daughter Bailey sit in the newly opened AJs Café adjoining AJs Play Date on 627 West Avenue, Medina. Bailey just joined the business as director of operations.

Children can sign up for one special day for $25 or a package of three days for $70.

“We want to bridge the gap between June and September when children have nothing to do,” Bailey said. “We want to widen our ability to reach out to different people.”

“Besides being fun, these things will be educational,” Adam said.

The Papajs said AJs Play Date is a hidden gem. Kids with learning problems recognize the activities geared to them, and for children who aren’t challenged, the place is just plain fun.

A Pajama Club is being started for July and August and registration is required. Information is available on their website at www.ajsplaydate.com.

AJs Play Date also offers Drop and Go for a child 5 or older, whose parents want to drop the child off while they run errands. All the staff are CPR and first-aid certified.

“Coming here is an investment in your child,” Adam said.

He said it is fun to watch even a six-month old crawl among the play stations. Children under 1 are allowed free of charge.

Children up to 5 years old can enjoy Little Tykes Time on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Open play is from 9 to 11 a.m.

“Our goal is to make sure families feel safe and welcome,” Adam said.

AJs Café and Ice Cream Shop will be open all year, Adam said. He is waiting approval for a drive-thru window.

MEDINA – A remodeled Tim Hortons will reopen May 18 in Medina.

The Maple Ridge Road site will open the drive-through at 4:15 a.m. and the storefront at 5 in the morning. The Tim Hortons closes at 10 p.m.

“We completely remodeled the inside of the restaurant,” said Jennifer Karbowski, C.O.O. and managing owner of the site. “A fresh new look outside and in. We did extensive work to our parking lot for better customer experience. Brand new furniture and layout to improve our guest experience both through our drive-through and inside our restaurant.”

The Tim Hortons also will be offering a new line of Nitro beverages. Those beverages will be ready to serve by the end of this month, Karbowski said.

The site also has new brewers, a cream machine and sugar machines for better coffee quality, she said.

“We thank the community for their patience, and we look forward to having them back as our guests,” Karbowski said. “We are excited to share our new look with them as well as some new products.”

Center has capacity for 136 students in building trades, CNAs and certified medical assistants

MEDINA – Dennis Essom, center director of the Iroquois Job Corps on Tibbits Road, has announced the Job Corps has reopened and ready to admit students in brick masonry, carpentry, paint, electrical, certified nursing assistant and certified medical assistant fields.

Iroquois Job Corps is a no-cost education and vocational training provider helping young people ages 16 to 24 improve the quality of their lives by empowering them to get great jobs and become independent, Essom said.

The local Iroquois Job Corps Center has the capacity to serve 136 students. The campus works directly with employers, national and local, to help them fill available positions with high pay. A few of the companies who have recently hired Iroquois Job Corps’ skilled graduates include Aerotek in Cheektowaga, Niagara Protective Coatings in Niagara Falls, St. Ann’s Community in Rochester, Career Start in Buffalo and Rochester, DENT Neurologic Institute in Amherst, Quality Structures in Rochester, and FSR Contracting in Buffalo.

Other recent graduates have enlisted in the United States Army and Navy and are now currently serving in active duty using skills learned while at Job Corps, Essom said.

The Covid-19 pandemic significantly reduced the number of students the Iroquois Job Corps Center has served during the past year and a half, Essom added. Now, with effective vaccines and safety procedures in place, the Iroquois Job Corps Center is ready with its youth training opportunities to welcome new students to their campus.

“We want the community to know that the Iroquois Job Corps Center is an outstanding option for our youth,” Essom said. “Students can also earn a high school diploma or the equivalent and college credits. Job Corps offers tuition-free housing, meals, basic health care, a living allowance and funds to assist with career transition.”

Job Corps also provides transitional support services, such as help finding employment, housing, child care and transportation. Job Corps graduates either enter the workforce or an apprenticeship, go on to higher education or enter the military.

Iroquois Job Corps Center has already demonstrated it is able to provide safe and healthy residential living and serve students effectively despite Covid, Essom continued. The program has procedures and policies in place to track Covid symptoms, test and prevent an outbreak.

“The past two years have been trying for all of us,” said Byron V. Garrett, CEO and president of National Corps Association. “This time has shown us that Job Corps’ dedication to teaching trades to young people has made a big difference, not only in the lives of our students and their families, but in the lives of Americans reliant upon the work Job Corps alumni have been trained to do. Given our availability to immediately serve students, we know the potential for our campuses to transform lives and want everyone to know that Job Corps is reopened and ready to help.”

Anyone wishing more information about student outreach and recruitment can contact Luke Kantor, outreach and admissions manager at the office phone (585) 344-3401, on his cell at (585) 205-3653 or by e-mail at Kantor.Luke@jobcorps.org.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Bob Gilsinan, left, and Jim Hancock are looking forward to another successful tourist season in Medina. They made a preliminary visit today to the Visitors’ Center in Rotary Park.

MEDINA – When the Medina Visitors’ Center opens May 23, it will be the 13th year of welcoming tourists to the village.

Jim Hancock, chair of Medina’s Tourism Committee and coordinator of the Visitors’ Center, and volunteer Bob Gilsinan today stopped by the Visitors’ Center in Rotary Park. They are preparing for the opening of the center for the 2022 season on May 23.

The house used as Santa’s headquarters at Christmas time doubles as the Visitors’ Center during the tourist season. It was an ideal spot to locate a Visitors’ Center, being in the center of downtown and in close proximity to the canal.

Last year, 330 visitors signed the register from 24 states and three foreign countries.

Gilsinan has been volunteering at the Visitors’ Center for four years and looks forward to his time there. He loves to talk to people and recalls the couple he met from Belgium who were biking the Erie Canal. He said they asked why there were so many churches in town.

One year while Hancock was on duty in the center, he met a couple from Montana who had their boat anchored in the Canal Basin. He said they had towed their boat then put it in the water where they could continue their journey to Key West.

“It’s heartwarming to see how amazed visitors are at the vibrancy of our Main Street and all the restaurants we have,” Hancock said.

There are two new volunteers so far this year – Betty Rogowski and the Rev. Vince Iorio, bringing the total of volunteers to 14.

“We can always use more volunteers,” Hancock said. “We do have enough now that we can have the Visitors’ Center open on Saturday.”

He said he didn’t know of any other small town with a Visitors’ Center like Medina.

The center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday throughout the summer.

Provided photo: Incoming kindergarten student, Carter Colonna, participates in the signing event at Oak Orchard Primary School.

Press Release, Medina Central School

MEDINA – Medina school district’s Oak Orchard Primary School has had a busy week hosting a UPK (Universal Pre-Kindergarten)/Kindergarten event.

Students who will be entering into universal pre-kindergarten and kindergarten are participating in a signing, screening and registration celebration at the school.

The event is being held from May 9 to May 20.  The school’s Principal Jennifer Stearns said students need to be residents of the school district and need to be 4 years of age by Dec. 1, 2021 for UPK and 5 years of age by Dec. 1, 2022 for kindergarten.

“It has been very exciting to welcome all our future Mustangs to this fun event,” she said.  “Students and families have been enjoying taking part and having their photograph taken to honor the occasion.”

The UPK and K programs will begin in the 2022-23 school year, Monday through Friday, from 7:35 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. As part of the sign up, students are meeting with the UPK and K teachers who complete a screening, which allows them to see the skills students have while entering school.

Parents/guardians are also meeting with teachers and the school counselor to share information about their child. There is an opportunity to complete registration while at screening as well.

The programs are free of cost to Medina school district families and transportation to and from school is provided by the district, following their regular transportation policies.

Breakfast and lunch will also be provided to students as well, at no cost.  Spaces will be limited and a random lottery will be held if needed. The application can be found at the Medina district website at www.medinacsd.org and then visiting the Oak Orchard Primary School page.

Mrs. Stearns would like to remind residents that it is not too late to sign up for either program and to participate in the screening. Medina residents are encouraged to complete the sign up found on the website or they can call 585-798-2700, options 3 and then 0, for more information.

Provided photos

MEDINA – Cindy Davis, vice president of the Medina Dog Park, accepts a ceremonial check for $172.50  from teacher Stephanie Brandt. Students in her class at the Orleans Learning Center in Medina collected bottles and cans.

The students also visited every classroom at the Learning Center and also the Orleans Career & Tech Center and collected donations.

“Medina has been hard at work over the past couple of years to create a fun space for our furry friends to socialize and play,” Brandt said. “We decided to support our community to help make the project happen.”

The dog park is located on North Gravel Road just south of Boxwood Cemetery.

Some of the Orleans Learning Center students are pictured at the school.

File photo by Tom Rivers: Frank Berger is shown during Medina’s Memorial Day observance on May 29, 2017. He has been chairman of the parade since 1971.

MEDINA – Frank Berger, chairman of Medina’s Memorial Parade, is welcoming community organizations to be part of Medina’s parade on May 30.

The parade will be back without restrictions this year, except for one. Berger said there won’t be any business or commercial promotions allowed, as has been the custom for this parade.

He has been chairman of the Memorial Day Parade since 1971. This is his last time as the organizer.

“I’m 87 and it’s about time for someone else to do it,” he said. “It takes a lot of cooperation.”

Berger became parade chairman 51 years ago, back when his son was in Cub Scouts.

For the May 30 parade, participants should start to line up at 10:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Olde Pickle Factory on Park Avenue. The parade starts at 11 and goes down Park Avenue, to South Main Street, to State Street Park. There will be an observance at State Street Park at about noon.

Berger said people interested in being in the parade should call (585) 798-3632. They should include the name of the group and how many expected participants.