Medina

Medina welcomes student on Board of Education

Photos by Tom Rivers: Alissa Blount, Medina’s student representative on the Board of Education, is pictured outside Medina High School. The BOE has an ex-officio student member for the first time this school year.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 January 2019 at 10:50 am

MEDINA – The Medina Board of Education for the first time has a student representative, who gives a monthly report and weighs in on topics from a student perspective.

District residents during the May 15 school vote last year approved, 259-75, to have a student on the Board of Education, without voting privileges. The student isn’t allowed in executive session where the board discusses personnel and litigation. Medina will have a student on a trial basis for two years, and then can extend it after that.

Alissa Blount, the High School Student Association president, was picked by the district to serve as the first student representative on the BOE. Cora Payne, a senior and the FFA president, is an alternate for meetings when Blount is unable to attend.

David Sevenski, the BOE president, welcomes having a student sitting at the table with the board during the monthly meetings.

“We’re trying to get more information about what’s going on in the schools,” Sevenski said.

He has encouraged board members to be an active presence at the school, from taking tours during the school day to attending many after-school events.

Cora Payne, an alternate student rep on the Board of Education, speaks during a Dec. 18 BOE meeting. Marc Graff, the district’s business administrator, listens to her comments.

Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent, also pushed for a student rep on the board. Medina is the first district in Orleans County with a student on the board.

“It’s a natural way to get a student focus,” Kruzynski said.

Payne filled in for Blount at the Dec. 18 BOE meeting. She gave an update about holiday concerts, the FFA citrus sale and some other activities. She urged board members to attend concerts, sporting events and other school programs. She encouraged them “to be more visible” at the school.

Payne plans to major in journalism and political science at Boston University. She attended a meeting last year about a change in the school’s policy for tardiness. That initially raised her interest in the Board of Education and school policy.

She praised the district for having a student on the BOE.

“I appreciate that they valued my opinion,” she said.

Alissa Blount has only missed one meeting so far this school year. She gives a report each month, and also extends an invitation for the BOE to go to school activities.

Blount is also a member of the FFA. She spoke about the FFA’s model farm on the school campus during a recent meeting. That prompted other board members to request a tour of the farm, and Blount was happy to oblige.

Most of the board meetings are about 45 to 90 minutes. Blount said it has been interesting to see the decision-making process, and how the board and administration wrestle with so many details in discussing policies.

“It takes a lot longer to get things passed,” she said.

Blount plans to major in nursing with a minor in Spanish at Daemen College near Buffalo. She said she is feeling more comfortable at the board meetings as she learns more about the district’s inner-workings.

She said she would like to help mentor next year’s student representative so that student can join the board with a better understanding of how the board functions and some background on the issues.

“It’s been really positive so far and it will build in the future,” Blount said.

Return to top

Construction continues for Medina church’s new building on Maple Ridge

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 8 January 2019 at 5:45 pm

Photos by Ginny Kropf

MEDINA – A crane lifts a rafter today for the new Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God building on Maple Ridge Road in Medina.

The church is working on a new 9,306-square-foot building. It is moving from the former Medina High School, where it has been based the past 25 years. The building on Maple Ridge is near Salt Works Road.

Return to top

Medina couple lost more than 300 pounds together last year

Photos by Tom Rivers: Adam and Kelly Uderitz take their dog Maggie for a walk by the Erie Canal in Ridgeway on Fruit Avenue.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 January 2019 at 1:53 pm

Adam and Kelly Uderitz embrace a healthy lifestyle

Provided photo: Adam and Kelly Uderitz are shown at their wedding about 16 months ago on Aug. 17, 2017.

MEDINA – A Medina couple embraced a healthy lifestyle last year and the results have been life-changing, Kelly and Adam Uderitz said.

Together they lost about 340 pounds in 2018. They drank lots of water each day, ate healthy foods, got more sleep and made a commitment to exercise regularly.

Kelly lost 96 pounds and Adam took off 245. They used to get home from work and crash on the couch. Now they go out for walks or a jog.

They both say they have far more energy during the day, after cutting out their caffeine.

“I feel like I got my freedom back, the freedom from myself,” Adam, 43, said at their home on Saturday on Fruit Avenue.

He used to drink a lot of soda. The switch to drinking water cut out hundreds of calories each day. He has experimented in the kitchen, using more vegetables in their meals. He makes a cauliflower-crusted pizza, or mashed cauliflowers instead of mashed potatoes. On Saturday evening, it was scallops over cauliflower grits.

The change in diet took off a lot of pounds. Adam also embraced something he hadn’t done since he was a kid: he rode a bike. He first pedaled it down Fruit Avenue to the canal and back to his house, about a 3-mile ride. He built up his endurance and would ride 25 miles to Albion and back.

He started walking, then doing a walk-jog. In October, he was running a mile and then longer. In November, he completed two 5-kilometer races and is looking to try some longer races, a 5-miler and maybe a half marathon. Adam is often joined by the family dog, Maggie, a mixed breed.

Adam is at 176 pounds. He hasn’t been that low since he was a freshman in high school. Some of his own family members didn’t recognize him last year at some family gatherings.

Adam and Kelly Uderitz frequently take walks on the Erie Canal Towpath with their dog Maggie.

“I just feel so much better,” he said on Saturday.

He works at Saint-Gobain Adfors in Albion as a “fixer” or in maintenance. He used to sit down for most of his shifts at work, but last year decided to stay on his feet throughout the workday. That gave him about 10,000 steps each day at work. He has a step counter on his watch and averages about 15,000 steps a day, including his exercise outside of work.

Adam no longer needs medication for high cholesterol and blood pressure. He no longer suffers from sleep apnea. He gets a good night’s sleep and starts the day with zest.

Kelly and Adam have been friends for 16 years. They married on Aug. 17, 2017.

Kelly has lost nearly 100 pounds this year. She has steered herself away from deep-fried foods. If she goes out to eat, she has a salad instead of French fries or other food that tends to have a lot of grease.

Kelly, 44, said she started to put on weight after quitting smoking in 2000. Before embracing a healthy lifestyle about a year ago, she said she typically felt tired and would go to Tim Hortons once or twice daily for an iced cappuccino. Even then, she felt sluggish, especially when she got home after working. She is a special education teacher at Albion High School.

Kelly is an active parent volunteer with the Medina Mustang Band. Her son, Danny Squire, is a senior with the band this year.

His mother noticed that Jimmy Steele, the band director, has lost a lot of weight – more than 100 pounds. She asked him how he did it.

Steele shared his insights and offered to be a coach for Kelly and Adam Uderitz. He gives them recipes and encouragement.

Kelly and Adam both say they try to stay positive, even if they slip up and don’t have a good eating day.

“If you have a bad day, it’s not over,” Adam said. “Go forward and continue on.”

It is hard to eat good food all the time, especially during the holidays when there are some many cookies and treats.

The couple say Americans are inundated with junk food, fast food and unhealthy food.

“It’s always in your face,” Kelly said. “Everyone is trying to get you to supersize junk all your life.”

‘I feel like anyone can be successful. You have to remember why you’re doing it. It’s a journey not a diet.’ – Kelly Uderitz

Kelly and Adam try to eat every 2 ½ to 3 hours. In between meals that is often a handful of almonds. That fights off hunger and the cravings for fast food or junk food.

“It keeps the metabolism going,” Adam said.

The first couple months on the program were like being in detox as he shifted from soda to water, and from deep fried food to lean meats and lots of vegetables.

Kelly, like Steele, has become a health coach and is working with five people. She welcomes others to contact her through her Facebook page if they are interested in following the program that has worked for her and her husband.

Adam and Kelly have also become avid kayakers. That’s something that seemed unrealistic a year ago. Now they spend three or four hours in the kayak, traveling the Oak Orchard River.

“I feel like anyone can be successful,” Kelly said about the weight-loss program. “You have to remember why you’re doing it. It’s a journey not a diet.”

Return to top

Sale of Medina’s Towne school is finalized

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 January 2019 at 4:24 pm

File photo by Tom Rivers: The Medina Board of Education last August approved selling Towne Primary School for $900,000 to Rainbow CCX International, a company that provides educational services.

MEDINA – The Medina School District has announced this afternoon that the sale of the Towne Primary School is complete.

The Board of Education on Aug. 15, 2017 accepted an offer of $900,000 on the building by Rainbow CCX, Inc.

“The new company that owns Towne School is a Chinese-based educational firm, that has stated that they intend to develop the school into an international school for students from China, with students ultimately living on the campus,” Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent, said in a statement today.

Towne Primary School has been vacant since July 2012, when the district closed the school to consolidate and reconfigure the buildings on the current campus.

“On December 28, 2018, after all of the bureaucratic regulations and legal obligations were met, the ownership of the building officially transferred to Rainbow CCX, Inc.,” Kruzynski said.

Rainbow CCX has schools in Toronto and Niagara Falls, Canada.

The Towne school is 72,814 square feet and the property includes a 16.9-acre lot. The school district had it listed for $1,150,000. The CCX offer was significantly more than what was presented by the Calvary Tabernacle Church, school officials said in August 2017.

When the district accepted the CCX offer, Medina still owed about $1.2 million from Towne for a capital project at the building. The sale price will wipe out most of that debt. Medina also will be spared paying about $50,000 in annual maintenance and insurance at the site.

The property will go on the tax rolls and would have stayed tax exempt if purchased by the church.

Return to top

Medina library starts winter concert series on Friday

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 December 2018 at 9:59 am

Photo from Woody Candy, a new Buffalo-based 1950’s rock and roll/rockabilly band.

MEDINA – The Lee-Whedon Memorial Library will kick off its winter concert series – Finally Fridays – this Friday at 7 p.m. The 10-week concert series continues until March 8.

The series doesn’t charge for admission. Lee-Whedon started Finally Fridays in January 2002 and is very popular with Medina residents as well as residents in neighboring communities, said Catherine Cooper, the library director.

“We look forward to greeting all of our music-loving friends on January 4^th,” she said. “This will be our eighteenth year, believe it or not. We provide a unique opportunity for people to sit and enjoy live music and for musicians to play to an attentive and focused audience.”

Wood Candy, a new Buffalo-based 1950’s rock and roll/rockabilly band fronted by Buffalo singer-songwriter Rob Falgiano, will start the series on Friday. The 5-piece group (guitar/bass/drums/piano/sax) performs a fun, up tempo mix of Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Elvis, Ray Charles, and Jerry Lee Lewis, among other era luminaries.

The full schedule includes:

• January 4 – Wood Candy

• January 11 – Creek Bend Bluegrass

• January 18 – The Red Blazer Men’s Chorus

• January 25 – Tom Stahl & the Dangerfields

• February 1 – Dave North & Marc Loan

• February 8 – “A” Blues Band

• February 15 – Corfu Community Band

• February 22 – Paul Zittle & Pure Country

• March 1 – Crash Cadillac

• March 8 – Ron & Nancy One Song

Finally Fridays! is made possible by funding from the New York State Council on the Arts. The musical series is also co-sponsored by The Friends of the Library.

Return to top

250 attend free roller skating event at YMCA

Staff Reports Posted 28 December 2018 at 10:56 am

Photos courtesy of Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition

MEDINA – The Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition held a free family roller skating event on Thursday afternoon at the Orleans County YMCA in Medina.

There were over 250 youth and parents who attended what has become an annual event just after Christmas.

This year a Hawaiian Luau theme was included in the event with prizes awarded to youth who dressed up Hawaiian. Youth could also have some fun at the free photo booth with Hawaiian props included.

Volunteers from Medina Area Association of Churches attended and helped collect a total of 225 non-perishable food items from attendees to donate to the two food pantries in Medina.

New this year, participants also had the opportunity to watch a showing of the Disney movie “Moana” during the event sponsored by Tobacco Free GLOW.

The Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition said the event would not be been possible without the support of Medina Area Association of Churches, Orleans YMCA and Tobacco Free GLOW.

Return to top

Medina business damaged after being hit by vehicle on Christmas Eve

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 December 2018 at 9:16 am

Photo courtesy of Kathy Blackburn

MEDINA – A Medina business is temporarily closed after it was hit on Christmas Eve by a vehicle, breaking the front door and window, and causing some structural damage.

Meggie Moo’s was hit at about 9:30 p.m. Kathy Blackburn, owner of the business at 114 East Center St., said an inexperienced driver slid off a slick road and hit the building.

Besides the damage to the front window and door, a cast iron pillar was knocked out. That pillar is a big concern, she said.

She said a regular building contractor may not be able to make the repairs. Meggie Moo’s may need a restoration crew that specializes in historic buildings.

She is reaching out to her insurance company. For now, the business will have to be closed until the repairs are made.

Blackburn opened the ice cream parlor and grill with her family in the summer of 2014. Meggie Moo’s includes a game room and has been a popular place for children’s birthday parties and other events.

Return to top

First-time Santa-Reindeer train draws a big crowd for Railroad Museum

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 23 December 2018 at 9:34 am

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Santa arrives with a bag of toys for all the girls and boys on the Santa/Reindeer train Saturday at Medina Railroad Museum.

18,000 also rode the Polar Express for Railroad Museum, which followed busy fall foliage rides

MEDINA – The magic of Christmas was in full swing Saturday at the Medina Railroad Museum, where throngs of people came for the first ever Santa/Reindeer train.

Also in attendance was a train full of veterans who were given free tickets to ride the train through a grant from the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer-to-Peer program.

Veterans’ services director Earl Schmidt secured the grant to provide recreational and entertaining events for Orleans County veterans. Saturday, 56 veterans and their families rode the train.

Catherine Schmidt, center, volunteer coordinator of the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer-to-Peer program, poses with an elf and Lincoln Pace on the veterans’ car during the Santa/Reindeer train ride Saturday from Medina Railroad Museum.

Catherine Schmidt, who is the volunteer coordinator for the Peer-to-Peer program, purchased mugs and chocolate suckers from Della’s in Medina for each veteran.

Among the veterans were the Strickland family of Lyndonville. Ace Strickland, an Army veteran, took the ride with his wife Rebecca, their children Ava and Aksel and Rebecca’s father, Ed Schmidt, an Air Force veteran.

“It’s so wonderful they are actually paying attention to veterans now,” Schmidt said. “When I got out, you didn’t want people to know you were a vet.”

On the two dining cars on the train, first-class passengers also received a mug for their hot chocolate and the chance to visit Santa by a Christmas tree in the cars.

Children were given a stuffed animal which Santa plucked from his big red sack.

Conductors Brody George, left, and Cody Catlin hug “Kat” Schepis, dressed as a cat for the Christmas/Reindeer train Saturday at Medina Railroad Museum.

This is the first year the Railroad Museum has attempted a Santa/Reindeer train, coming off the heels of the most successful Polar Express run ever. During its eight-day run of six trains per day, more than 18,000 people rode the Polar Express, said museum director Janien Klotzbach. She is also daughter of the museum’s founder, the late Martin Phelps.

Polar followed a record-breaking sell-out of every fall foliage train, Klotzbach said.

Terry Hendry, volunteer/group sales coordinator at the Medina Railroad Museum, sorts hats and Christmas decorations for volunteers on the Santa/Reindeer train Saturday.

The museum grounds were all decked out for the holidays, from an antique sleigh on the deck, to the grounds with a human size snow globe capable of holding 14 people, and a petting tent with reindeer Dasher and Dancer. A faded ticket shack was converted into a snack shack, where snacks and hot chocolate were served.

Klotzbach attempted to secure local food vendors during all the holiday events. Zambistro was on site for one weekend, and Hojack’s Bar & Grill in Carlton came through for the remainder of the season.

“Having the Hojack here was so appropriate,” said Klotzbach, referring to the ice cream/snack bar in Lyndonville which was named after the old railroad which used to run through the town.

Volunteers on the Santa/Reindeer train were mostly teenagers, including Lincoln Pace, 15, of Medina; Nick Mitchell, 15, of Le Roy; Catherine Grossman of Oakfield; Danielle Schmidt of Medina; and Noel Vasquez of Barker.

The teens all said they had friends who previously volunteered and had such a good time. They embraced their elves costumes, peaked hats and necklaces of blinking Christmas bulbs.

As the train headed out of Medina for the “North Pole,” the teens bounced down the aisles as they led the singing of Christmas songs. Then it was time to pour the hot chocolate and pass the Christmas cookies from Case-Nic Cookies in Medina.

The train made a brief stop at the North Pole, where Santa disembarked to return to his workshop.

The North Pole is Santa’s final destination on the Santa/Reindeer train from the Medina Railroad Museum on Saturday. Here, Santa waves goodbye to passengers as he heads for his workshop.

The South Main Attractions Band plays Christmas music in the Medina Railroad Museum during the Santa/Reindeer train on Saturday. From left are Dona LaValle of Batavia, Scott Schramm of Middleport, Dave Armitage of Batavia and Scott Schildwaster of Batavia.

Even big kids like Terry Boyle of Medina got a hug from Santa on the Santa/Reindeer train Saturday at Medina Railroad Museum.

Return to top

Statue of soldier will spend winter inside YMCA

Photos courtesy of Lynne Menz: A 7-foot-tall bronze statue of a doughboy from World War I was moved inside the Orleans County YMCA on Thursday. The building on Pearl Street in Medina was originally an Armory and was used to train soldiers. The Medina Armory opened in 1901 for Company F, which formed in 1891. In 1977, the National Guard left the Medina Armory. The site has been used as a YMCA for more than three decades.

Posted 21 December 2018 at 2:57 pm

Company F Memorial bronze statue will be installed by former Armory in spring

Press Release, Company F Memorial Committee

MEDINA – After approximately 4 years in the making, we are excited to announce that the newest military history icon, the Company F Memorial bronze statue, is home! It was revealed to the public by leading the Medina Parade of Lights celebration on Nov. 24 and was kept in storage until it was moved on Thursday to its temporary “winter retreat” inside the Pearl Street entrance of the YMCA (former Medina Armory). (The entrance is closed due to the deterioration of the steps outside. A new main entrance is on Prospect Street.)

The idea of putting it on display temporarily was a result of the late Bill Menz’s mission to educate future generations of the sacrifices our veterans made for our freedoms. The display is part of the Company F historical panels that Orleans County Historian Matt Ballard commissioned a few years ago and located outside the Children’s Watch room and Cardio Room. The display allows visitors to get an up close and personal look at this 7-foot-high work of art, take a selfie and learn the history of the Medina Armory before it became the community activity center and YMCA.

The Company F statue is on temporary display at the YMCA in Medina until it’s mounted to the monument in the Spring.

The Company F Memorial committee wishes to express it’s deepest appreciation to all those that have supported us to make Bill’s vision a reality.

Sculptor Brian Porter and the University of Buffalo’s Foundry Director Chris Serano who created this masterpiece. Brian and Chris were exceptionally accommodating by inviting us to witness it’s evolution.

John Brown of Select Collision in Batavia who transported the statue from UB to Medina and lent his trailer for the Parade of Lights for our big reveal. He and set designer Carl Hicks devised and built the means to not only support and secure the 1,400-pound statue to the trailer for the parade, but modified the support for the display at the YMCA.

The statue was delivered to the YMCA in Medina on Thursday.

Shelby Highway Superintendent Mike Fuller and the Town of Shelby for providing the crew and necessary equipment to raise the statue from its horizontally packaged position to its upright position on the float trailer.

Lisa Tombari and Talis Equity for providing us a temporary home to store and create the float until we could move it to its permanent location at the YMCA.

The statue is in the corridor by the Pearl Street entrance of the YMCA.

The Village of Medina Parade of Lights committee for allowing us to lead the parade to introduce the statue to the public and bestowing us with the “Community Spirit Award” for our presentation.

Greg Stanton of Stanton signs for providing the beautiful signage for our float and a generator to power our lights in the Parade of Lights.

Michael Walsh for assisting us in building the float and engineering the A/V equipment and lights.

Cliff Fuller for also lending us his carpentry skills for the float.

Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan for giving us permission to use his rendition of “God Bless America” in the video that we played on the float. And, Chris Busch for connecting us to Dr. Tynan (who will be performing in Medina 10/5/19!)

Medina Mayor Michael Sidari and the Village DPW crew for assisting with the move and installation to the YMCA.

LeChase Construction for providing us the necessary equipment and operator to move the 1,400-pound statue from the trailer and into the YMCA.

Mark Zacher of Zacher Construction for assisting us with an engineering analysis and structural support to insure the YMCA floor could withstand the weight of the statue.

The YMCA Board of Directors and Y director Greg Reed for allowing us to display the statue inside the YMCA until its installation in the spring.

We would be remiss to not include all of our financial contributors who have made Mr. Menz’s dream a reality. Thank you, supporters!

And thanks, Bill Menz for leaving our community this beautiful, moving legacy. We hope we did you proud!

Return to top

County joins 3 other municipalities in Tops assessment fight in Medina

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 December 2018 at 9:15 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Tops store on Maple Ridge Road in Medina is pictured in September. The store is part of a plaza assessed at $3,471,000.

MEDINA – The Orleans County Legislature voted today to have the county join three other municipalities in a legal fight over the assessment for the Tops plaza in Medina.

The site on Maple Ridge Road is assessed for $3,471,000. It is owned by Medina Center LLC, which along with Tops is seeking a lower assessment. They want it lowered to $2,665,800. If successful, the $805,200 reduction would lower the taxes by $41,903 from $180,630, based on the tax rates in 2018.

The Town of Shelby, Village of Medina, Medina Central School and now the county are joining together to defend the assessment in court. Shelby sets the assessed value with its assessor.

Shelby also has the lowest of the tax rates and the least amount of money at stake.

Three years ago Orleans County approved a new policy where towns don’t have to bear the full burden of an assessment challenge by themselves if the assessments are over $3 million. The villages, school districts and county are all asked to help finance a legal battle, with the percentage share based on their tax rates, which include the Medina school district ($21.12), Village of Medina ($17.18), Orleans County ($10.09) and Town of Shelby ($3.65).

Tops is also challenging its assessment in Albion, where its store at 408 West Ave. is assessed for $2,750,000. Tops wants the assessment lowered to $1,775,660. Because that site is below the $3 million threshold, the town is alone is the court fight over the assessed value.

Return to top

Scouts go caroling at Orchard Manor in Medina

Posted 17 December 2018 at 9:22 pm

Photo courtesy of John Dieter, Cub Master of Pack 35

MEDINA – Cub Scouts from Pack 35 in Medina sang Christmas carols to the residents of Orchard Manor this past Saturday. Two of the scouts, Colton Smith and Jimmy Dieter, played solos with their instruments. Once done with the caroling the scouts handed out Christmas cards to the residents.

Return to top

135 wreaths laid on veterans’ graves at Boxwood in Medina

Photos by Ginny Kropf: A veterans’ honor guard and VFW member Jim Freas stand at attention while Kathy Blackburn reads a prayer during a wreath-laying ceremony Saturday in Boxwood Cemetery.

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 16 December 2018 at 2:07 pm

Assemblyman Stephen Hawley pauses to salute after placing a wreath in Boxwood Cemetery Saturday in honor of all veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice.

MEDINA – Four years ago, when Kathy Blackburn learned about Wreaths Across America and wanted to involve the Medina community, she received donations for seven wreaths to place on veterans’ graves in Boxwood Cemetery.

On Saturday, the number of wreaths donated for the project was 135.

Wreaths Across America was an idea of Morrill Worcester, owner of a wreath company in Harrington, Maine. As a young boy, he had visited Arlington National Cemetery, an experience he never forgot. So in 1992, when his company found itself with a surplus of wreaths, Worcester saw an opportunity to honor the country’s veterans.

With aid of his local senator, arrangements were made for him to donate wreaths to be placed in one of the older sections at Arlington, which had been receiving fewer visitors each year.

As plans were made, other individuals and organizations stepped up to help. The owner of a local trucking company provided transportation for the wreaths to Virginia. Volunteers from the American Legion and VFW posts gathered with community members to decorate each wreath and members of the Maine State Society of Washington, D.C. helped to organize the wreath-laying, which included a special ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The annual tribute continued quietly for several years, until 2005, when a photo of the stones at Arlington, adorned with wreaths and covered with snow, was circulated on the internet. Suddenly, the project received national attention.

Requests began pouring in from all over the country from people who wanted to help at Arlington, to emulate the Arlington project in their local cemeteries or to just thank Worcester for honoring the nation’s heroes.

Todd Bensley, Village of Medina historian and member of the Boxwood Cemetery Association; Assemblyman Stephen Hawley; Dave Barhite, a member of the American Legion; and Kathy Blackburn, who chairs the Wreaths Across America project, talk prior to a ceremony Saturday in Boxwood Cemetery, in which 135 wreaths were placed on veterans’ graves.

Unable to donate thousands of wreaths to each state, Worcester began sending seven wreaths to each state, one for each branch of the military and one for POW/MIAs. By 2006, with the help of the Civil Air Patrol and other civic organizations, simultaneous wreath-laying ceremonies took place at more than 150 locations around the country.

The Patriot Guard Riders volunteered to escort the wreaths going to Arlington, thus beginning the annual “Veterans Honor Parade” which travels the East coast early each December.

The annual trip to Arlington and volunteers eager to participate continued to grow each year, until it became evident the desire to remember and honor the country’s fallen heroes was bigger than Arlington and bigger than Worcester’s one wreath company.

In 2007, the Worcester family and others who had helped them with the annual wreath ceremony at Arlington, formed Wreaths Across America, a 501(c)3 organization to continue and expand this effort.

Volunteers wait to place wreaths on the graves of veterans representing all branches of the military during the Wreaths Across American project Saturday at Boxwood Cemetery. From left are Rodney Casey, Todd Bensley, Assemblyman Stephen Hawley, Dave Barhite, Shirley Whittleton (partially hidden) Sandra Fenton and Tom Fenton.

By 2008, more than 300 locations had wreath-laying ceremonies in every state, Puerto Rico and 24 oversees cemeteries. More than 60,000 volunteers placed more than 100,000 wreaths on veterans’ graves. That year, Dec. 13 was voted by the U.S. Congress as “Wreaths Across America Day.”

In 2014, Wreaths Across America volunteers laid more than 700,000 memorial wreaths at 1,000 locations in the United States and beyond, including at the Pearl Harbor Memorial, Bunker Hill and Valley Forge, as well as the sites of the Sept. 11 tragedies. Also in

2014, Wreaths Across America’s goal of covering Arlington National Cemetery was met with the placement of 226,525 wreaths.

For the first time in Medina this year, Girl Scouts from the Cobblestone Service Unit volunteered to help place the wreaths.

Leader Pauline Bachorski said she discovered the Wreaths Across America project when she was searching online for something the Scouts could do for their community.

Dozens of volunteers, which included 13 Girl Scouts from the Cobblestone Service Unit in Albion, place wreaths on veterans’ graves throughout Boxwood Cemetery during the national Wreaths Across American project.

Community members who volunteered to lay the seven wreaths, one for each branch of the military and one for those missing in action or prisoners of war, were Assemblyman Stephen Hawley, Tom and Sandra Fenton, Dave Barhite, Shirley Whittleton, Todd Bensley and Rodney Casey.

The ceremony included a prayer by veteran Dave Kusmierczak, a three-gun salute by a veterans’ honor guard and playing of Taps by Earl Schmidt.

Anyone wishing to sponsor a wreath may visit www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org and click on “sponsor locally,” “find a location” (New York or 14103) or contact Blackburn at (585) 735-5801.

Return to top

Veterans who are shut-in or at nursing homes receive gifts

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 16 December 2018 at 11:23 am

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Local veterans gathered Saturday morning in front of the VFW in Medina to collect gift bags for delivery to shut-in veterans, in cooperation with an annual Christmas drive started 11 years ago by Allan Kepner. From left are Glenn Whitmore, Dave Morien, Fred Heschke, Orleans County Veterans’ Service Agency director Earl Schmidt, Steve Johnson, Dave Kusmierczak, Dave Higgins, Dave Barhite and Eric Delano.

MEDINA – A Medina businessman who started providing gifts to shut-in veterans at Christmas has been able to expand his ministry, thanks to support from the VFW and American Legion in Medina.

On Saturday afternoon, VFW and Legion members delivered gift bags to dozens of veterans in Orleans County who are homebound or in nursing homes.

The program was started 11 years ago by Allan Kepner as “His Healing Presence,” in which Kepner sought donations of gifts to deliver to veterans and their families.

At the same time, the VFW and American Legion were sponsoring their own veterans’ program at Christmas.

“All we could give was $5 and a pair of socks,” said Dave Kusmierczak, a member of both veterans’ groups. “Now that we have gone in with Allan, we provide gifts to all shut-in veterans in Orleans County, while he does veterans in Genesee, Niagara and Monroe counties.”

Gifts this year included blankets, a stuffed animal, hats or scarves, a plaque on an easel, word search book and an encouraging card with a flag. Extra gifts are provided for homeless shelters for veterans.

Anyone may still send cash or gift donations. For information, contact Kepner at (585) 356-8128.

Return to top

Firefighters, MAAC have presents, food baskets for 75 families in Medina

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 16 December 2018 at 8:57 am

Photos by Ginny Kropf

MEDINA – Sherry Tuohey adds hams to boxes of food and gifts to be delivered to 75 families on Saturday morning during the annual Christmas effort by the Medina Area Association of Churches.

Each family who applied received a gift, hat, scarf, mittens and socks for each member, toys for children, food for Christmas dinner and a bag of apples. Families with children received a ham, while senior citizens received ham steaks.

Tuohey chaired the holiday program for the first time this year.

Boxes of gifts and food are ready to be delivered by Medina area firefighters, who were first served breakfast Saturday morning at the United Methodist Church in Medina.

Firefighters from Medina and the surrounding area, including Shelby, East Shelby and Ridgeway, joined volunteers at the United Methodist Church for breakfast, before loading up boxes of gifts and food for delivery, a tradition which has been ongoing for several decades.

MAAC volunteers and local firefighters have breakfast Saturday morning at the United Methodist Church of Medina prior to the delivery of holiday gift boxes to 75 families. Clockwise from left are Sue Metzo, Pat Howe, Donna Johnson, Rose Ann Bensley, Sherry Tuohey and Sylvia Riviere.

A firefighter loads a red wagon onto his truck, to be delivered with holiday gift boxes to families in the Medina area.

Local firefighters load holiday gift boxes at the United Methodist Church as they begin the annual delivery to families in the Medina area.

Return to top

Medina approves $800K agreement with firm for work on sewer plant

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 December 2018 at 4:59 pm

MEDINA – The Village Board has approved a $799,200 contract with the Wendel firm for construction management, design work and bidding services for an upcoming construction project at the wastewater treatment plant.

The board on Monday approved the contract, which is part of an estimated $5.4 million project at the sewer plant.

The village last month was awarded a state grant for $1,331,545 for the project through the Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017.

Medina’s sewer plant upgrades will include a new Rotating Biological Contractor (RBC) and aeration and blowers; grit classifier replacement; pretreatment system (micro screens) replacement; gravity thickener building improvements; HVAC improvements in the main control room; and miscellaneous sewer line improvements.

Wendel will design the project components, prepare contract documents, submit design packages, submit drawings and updated reports to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, prepare final bid documents, conduct a pre-bid meeting, respond to prospective bidder questions, conduct the bid opening, review and tabulate buds, conduct pre-award meetings with apparent low bidders and prepare recommendation of award letters.

Those pre-construction services total $399,750.

The construction services total $399,450 and include issuing notice of award to contractors, reviewing contractors’ bonds and insurances, preparing contracts, issuing notices to proceed letters, conducting pre-construction meetings, conducting monthly progress and coordination meetings at the sewer plant, have staff on site to monitor construction, provide consultation during construction and issue necessary interpretations and clarifications of contract.

Other services include reviewing and responding to technical questions from contractors and the village, review contractor progress payment requests, support construction coordination between village and contractors, engineer in charge with visit site to ensure phases of construction are in compliance, conduct interim and final inspection of construction, prepare a certificate of project completion for the village, work with village and the village’s financial advisors for documentation and technical assistance to support loan and grant requirements through the NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation.

Return to top