Rollators, wheelchairs, walkers with 4 wheels, and knee scooters all needed

MEDINA – The medical loan closet in Medina, which stopped taking items in December when Covid-19 cases were on the rise locally, is once again accepting donations.

The Medina Lions Club manages the medical loan closet, and items are stored at the Olde Picke Factory.

There is a need for more Rollators, wheelchairs, walkers with four wheels and knee scooters, said Jim Punch, the closet’s coordinator.

The closet currently has an abundance of aluminum collapsible walkers, he said.

The closet loaned out more than 120 items from October through December. Some of the equipment includes hospital beds, wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, commodes, shower chairs and other medical items.

The program was run by Lyndonville Lions Club and shifted to the Medina Lions Club this past fall. A small portion of the program remains in Lyndonville, with a student group, the Leos from the high school, overseeing it.

Anyone in Orleans County and eastern Niagara County may borrow equipment from the loan closet. For more information, call (585) 205-3502.

Medina business raising funds during Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Nicole Tuohey, right, and her mom Mary Lou stand in front of the store window at Case-Nic Cookies in Medina, which advertises a promotion they are doing during March to benefit the Arc of Genesee Orleans.

MEDINA – Mary Lou Tuohey and her daughter Nicole are taking advantage of March as “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month” to raise money for the Arc of Genesee Orleans, while urging people not to judge people with disabilities.

Nicole, who will be 31 in May, was born with Triple X Syndrome. Doctors told her parents at her three-week checkup that she may never walk, talk, read, write or do math.

“As of that moment, we were determined (and she has been determined) not to be labeled because of a disability,” Mary Lou said. “Labels are for soup cans, not for people.”

Nicole has done all of what the doctors said she wouldn’t do – and more. She has danced with Miss Stephanie for 25 years. She plays baseball, bowls, rides a horse, swims and rides a bike. She volunteers for events at the Arc and in the fall of the year, she makes paper links, which she sells and hooks together to form a chain down Main Street – all to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. She has walked in all 21 of the Arc runs in Medina.

This is third year Nicole and her mom have sponsored their “Have a Heart” campaign to benefit the Arc. To promote their campaign, Mary Lou, who owns Case-Nic Cookies, baked two heart-shaped cookies – one with red frosting and the other frosted pink with a bite taken out of it. The object is to show, that while the cookies look different, they are the same – they are made with the same ingredients, rolled out the same, cut the same and taste the same.

Such is the case of a person with a disability. They may not do things the way other people do, but that doesn’t mean it is wrong. It means there are other ways to accomplish the same goal.

Nicole, who attended the Arc’s Rainbow Preschool from age three months to five years, currently attends Day Hab at the Arc.

To show their support for the Arc, the heart-shaped cookies are for sale at Case-Nic Cookies for $1 each through the end of March. All the money raised will be donated directly to the Arc for programs assisting individuals who are part of the Arc. Cookies can be purchased at the store or ordered by calling (585) 798-1676.

Case-Nic Cookies is also sponsoring a basket raffle through March 16. Mary Lou has designed the event to adhere to Covid restrictions. Baskets are on display in Case-Nic’s window. A table outside the door has a box of envelopes in which there is a form listing all the baskets and a plastic bag with a pen and ticket stub from a sheet of raffle tickets. Each sheet has 26 tickets and after indicating on the form how many tickets the buyer wants placed in each basket, they include their $10 per sheet with the form in the envelope and drop in through the mail slot in the door.

As a reminder, Mary Lou asks everyone to remember, “Until you have walked in the shoes of those with a disability, don’t judge them by the way they look, the way do something or the way they might communicate their needs. They are a person, just like you. They have feelings, they deserve respect and they deserve to be included.”

MEDINA – After being closed for several months due to Covid concerns, the Senior Center of Western Orleans in Medina is again reopen on a limited basis, starting today.

Volunteers will run the Center, which will be open for euchre and pinochle on Wednesdays and Thursdays and euchre on Fridays.

Doors will open at noon each day, with card playing beginning at 1 p.m.

Masks will be required when entering the building or moving about the room. Hand sanitizer will be available on every table. Beverages will be allowed if they are in a covered container.

The Center is also open to the public from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. every Monday for free bread and pastries from Tops.

Todd Eick among 11 finalists for NY agricultural educator of the year

Provided photo: Todd Eick, Medina FFA advisor and agriculture teacher, is shown with some of his students while visiting a fruit orchard. Eick has been named the Golden Owl winner for District 9, which includes about a dozen FFA chapters in Orleans, Genesee, Niagara, Wyoming and Erie counties. He is one of 11 finalists for NY agricultural educator of the year, which will be announced in May at the State FFA Convention.

MEDINA – The school’s FFA advisor has received one of the inaugural “Golden Owl” awards given to top agricultural educators in the state.

Todd Eick won the award for District 9 and is one of 11 finalists for the state-wide award that will be announced during the FFA state convention in May.

The New York FFA Association offered the award for the first time this year to recognize ag educators. Community members, students and the district nominate the honoree.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Todd Eick talks with students in this photo from October 2014. They are inside a new barn built for the FFA program.

“Mr. Eick is such an amazing teacher,” Monica Silversmith, a Medina parent, wrote in her nomination for Eick. “He is compassionate and is such a great leader for these young people. He teaches them the importance of Agriculture. Our young people and children need this so much! He is such a great instructor and for being from such a small school, I don’t think he gets the recognition that he deserves!”

Eick has led the Medina FFA program since 2010. He teaches classes on animal sciences, plant and food sciences, Ag engineering and production, youth leadership, and other introduction courses. He also is the varsity lacrosse coach.

Eick said he appreciates the support for the FFA and agriculture programs from the community, the school district and the students. The Golden Owl award is a nice surprise.

“I’m very humbled and honored,” he said this morning. “It means a lot. As teachers we always wonder how we’re doing. It’s the kids you’re affecting and effecting that matter the most. With FFA, it’s not plows and cows anymore. It’s also beakers and speakers.”

During Eick’s tenure, the FFA program has grown. In 2014, the district used a $25,000 grant to add a “living laboratory” for the FFA with a small barn, pasture and a hydroponic system that produces about 80 pounds of a feed a day.

When people drive down Mustang Drive in recent years, they would often see llamas, sheep, a goat and a calf out munching on grass in the fenced-in pasture.

Eick’s students would tend to the animals and do the farm chores, hauling feed and water. He wanted take students out of the classroom for more direct hands-on learning and less PowerPoint presentations.

Todd Eick leads the Medina FFA in the Parade of Lights in this photo from Nov. 28, 2015. The FFA chapter is a frequent participant in medina’s big parade the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

With the Covid restrictions keeping students off campus after mid-March last year, Eick brought the FFA animals to his home so they would be cared for. This year, with a hybrid schedule and many students fully remote, the animals – 6 alpacas, a llama and about a dozen rabbits – have stayed at the Eick home with Eick doing many of the chores. His son Mason has also been a big help, Eick said.

The Medina FFA in recent years also has hosted a big animal appreciation day with more than 1,000 students stopping by the FFA in the high school. That event has been sidelined due to Covid.

The FFA also has been a part of the Medina Parade of Lights and worked on community projects, including restoring a 13-foot-fish used by the Tourism Department to promote the local fishery. The FFA also has built several little libraries that are placed around the community.

Evie Schultz, a Medina FFA member, was among the nominators who wrote to the state FFA in support of Eick for the award.

“Mr. Eick is an inspiration to our chapter and his wisdom spreads throughout our school district,” she wrote. “I speak for many of my peers when I say that we would not be the people we are today without his guidance, patience, and kind heart.”

Medina urged to have more diversity on police force

MEDINA – The Village Board heard from two residents that its proposed police reform plan needs to do more to ensure Medina police officers are respecting everyone and not violating constitutional rights.

Michael O’Keefe, an attorney in Medina, said he sees body camera video from some of his clients that show officers are infringing on peoples’ rights.

He said videos posted on YouTube by local resident Ken Ortiz show some officers violating Ortiz’s rights. O’Keefe said officers broke down the door of Ortiz’s room at midnight about nine months ago and still haven’t repaired it. O’Keefe said breaking down the door on a harassment charge against Ortiz was too much of a reaction from police.

“Things right in front of us are being ignored,” O’Keefe said during a public hearing through Zoom videoconferencing on Monday.

He would like to see citizen review board to help oversee the Police Department. O’Keefe said the complaint process for the public about officers also should include a way for people to share concerns about the police chief. Mayor Mike Sidari said any complaints about the police chief can be addressed to the mayor and Village Board.

Ortiz, who is a frequent critic of the police on social media and through YouTube, said the Police Department needs to more quickly make body camera video available to the public and the police chief should also wear a body camera when interacting with the public. Ortiz said the mayor often isn’t responsive to his requests for information.

Ortiz said he continues to speak out because he said not all residents are being treated fairly by the Police Department.

“We need to have more ethical police officers,” he said during Monday’s hearing which was held through Zoom video conferencing. “There is never an officer who is held to the standard.”

He urged Medina to have a more diverse police force with women and Black officers. Ortiz also said Medina should have a drop box for people to dispose of weapons.

The comments from O’Keefe and Ortiz were made during a public hearing on Monday about a “Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Plan” due the state by April 1.

Medina formed a committee led by local business owner Scott Robinson that has updated and reviewed policies on use of force, mental health, body worn cameras, community relations, civilian personnel complaints, performance evaluations, handling deadly force incidents, use of firearms including taser and less lethal shotgun.

The committee has recommended establishing a Community Policing Board that would include a cross-section of the community and meet regularly. That community policing board would work towards forming better relations between law enforcement and the community.

“These relationships can be beneficial to convey information in both directions,” according to the report from Committee on Police Reform Collaborative. “This Board may also be tasked with aiding in community relations events.”

Some other highlights of the plan include:

• MENTAL HEALTH and PROCEDURAL JUSTICE – The committee in Medina also is recommending increased training for Medina police officers in mental health and procedural justice.

The regular mental health training schedule should seek out opportunities for crisis intervention training and mental health first aid.

Medina has already sent an instructor for certification in “Principled Policing.” That program covers areas such as History of Policing, Communication, Racial Bias, Decision Making, Trust Building and Core Values.

“Regular training in this area may help officers deal with the difficulties of modern-day policing,” the committee report states. “All of these training areas can be reinforced through reality based training, including interactive scenarios involving use of communication skills.”

• COMMUNITY POLICING/RELATIONS: The Committee recommends that the Medina Police Department take efforts to increase community policing and relations. The committee recommended the Medina Village Board put $10,000 in the next budget to assist with these community policing initiatives.

The committee recommended open community meetings hosted by the Medina Police Department. These meetings can be used to relay relevant information, and hear public concerns.

The Medina PD should also do an annual public survey to gather input from local citizens on police activities.

Some other ways to strengthen community interaction with the department could be more officers on foot patrol, bike patrol and community activities. The committee recommended an annual gathering open to the public where police officers can have positive interactions with the community.

Medina might also consider assigning a Community Policing Officer to focus on creating opportunities for positive interactions with the community.

• ACCREDITATION: The Committee recommends that the Medina PD attempt to obtain NYS accreditation status. The NYS Accreditation Program provides outside guidance and oversight to law enforcement to ensure performance in areas such as policies, procedures and training.

• FUNDING: The committee said funding should be increased at the local and state levels for law enforcement and mental health services. The Medina PD could pursue state grant funding for mental health, training and equipment.

The committee also said Medina should fund an investigator position in the Medina PD. “A designated position should result in a higher rate of case closures, which it is assumed will also increase public confidence,” the committee stated in the report.

Medina needs to submit a report to the state by April 1. Gov. Andrew Cuomo last June approved an executive order requiring all 500 municipal police agencies in the state to have the public involved in studying current police policies, with possible recommendations for changes. Those reports need to be submitted to the state by April 1 or Cuomo said the state will withhold funding from communities that don’t do the report, which needs to include public meetings.

Cuomo, in his executive order, said the communities with police departments need to go over their policies on use of force by police officers, crowd management, community policing, implicit bias awareness training, de-escalation training and practices, restorative justice practices, community-based outreach and citizen complaint procedures. The communities may find no changes are needed, Cuomo said.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Firefighters from the Medina area were dispatched at 4:30 p.m. to the Country Club Family Restaurant at 535 Main St. for reports of a structure fire.

The fire was limited to an office in the back of the restaurant. Steve Cooley, Medina Fire Department lieutenant, said an alert bystander at the restaurant used a fire extinguisher on the flames and smokes and then shut the door.

“That was the perfect thing to do,” Cooley said.

That action contained the fire until firefighters arrived and sprayed water in the room. They encountered high heat and smoke in the office, Cooley said.

Medina Fire Chief Matt Jackson said there is minimal damage from the fire, which didn’t spread beyond the room.

He expects the Country Club will be closed the rest of today and will have to do a “deep cleaning” tonight. The Orleans County Health Department is expected to have to give the OK for the restaurant to open.

Fire investigators from the Medina Fire Department and Orleans County Emergency Management Office are on the scene to determine the cause.

Firefighters entered the back of the Country Club Restaurant to get at the fire. They are shown getting ready to put away the hoses.

Provided photo from Cynthia Kiebala

MEDINA – Rev. Nancy Guenther of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Medina, hands “ashes-to-go” to parishioner Roland Howell as Ash Wednesday was observed today.

The Rev. Guenther distributed at St. John’s in Medina and Rev. Colleen O’Connor did the same at Christ Church in Albion.

The parishioners were given a small bag with ashes, a prayer card and a Touch Stone made of clay and ashes that was imprinted with the sign of the cross.

Ash Wednesday is the start of the Lenten season, which is about six weeks with fasting and prayer for many Christians.

This year Easter will be observed on April 4.

Provided photos: Sheryl Watts, owner and creator of Air Raising Events, is pictured with some of the Balloon Buddies she created.

This woman is pleased after receiving her Balloon Buddy.

MEDINA – Senior citizens at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and Applegate Manor in Medina received a special delivery of “Balloon Buddies” earlier this month.

Sheryl Watts, owner and creator of Air Raising Events, made 152 of the Balloon Buddies with messages. The community paid $15 each to sponsor one of the buddies.

Watts delivered 140 of the buddies to Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (Orchard Manor) on Feb. 8. She brought 12 to Applegate Manor on Feb. 5.

“It was amazing,” Watts said about delivering the Balloon Buddies. “The staff and adopted grandparents were so happy. The support from the community has been very positive and enthusiastic. Families from out of state have been very appreciative of the campaign and happy to see their loved one get a Balloon Buddy to brighten their day.”

She is close to meeting her fundraising goal to take 105 to The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion. Click here for more information about donating or sponsoring.

After the Villages, Watts wants to bring the Balloon Buddies to the Clover Hill site in Albion.

Balloon artists throughout the country are bringing “Balloon Buddies” to residents of nursing homes and assisted-care sites are part of the Adopt-A-Grandparent Balloon Buddy Campaign.

Residents receive a smiley-faced character holding a heart.

The balloon buddy campaign seeks to bring some extra joy to senior living facilities, which have suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic, including extended separation from loved ones.

Watts has added a message that tells the recipients they are not forgotten and are loved.

This woman gives her Balloon Buddy a snuggle.