MEDINA – Organizers for a new dog park in Medina are making a push to raise $20,000 for the project.

The dog park would be the first in Orleans County. It is planned to be located next to the former compost plant on North Gravel Road.

Friends of the Dog Park Committee said it needs about $12,000 for fencing, and additional money for agility equipment.

The new park would have three fenced-in areas, one for small dogs, one for large dogs and an agility area.

Alaina Wilson is leading the fund-raising efforts for the dog park. She is pictured with her boyfriend, Andrew Zapf of Rochester, at a table with information about the park.

The committee is in the Canal Basin this weekend, running a dunk tank, and selling frisbees and bracelets for the dog park.

They are at the Basin this weekend while two high-profile vessels are visiting Medina. The Lois McClure is a replica of a canal schooner from 1862 and is open for tours. The boat is joined by Corning Museum of Glass barge, which will offer glass-making demonstrations over the weekend.

The Friends of Medina Dog Park is also promoting a “Dog Days of Summer” fundraiser on Aug. 18 from 2 to 8 p.m. at Leonard Oakes Estate Winery. That event will include a souvenir wine glass, wine, hors d’oeuvres, live music, a basket raffle and a live auction. For more information, click here to be directed to Facebook page for Friends of Medina Dog Park.

There are souvenir frisbees available to raise funds for the dog park.

The committee also welcomes donations. “Top dog sponsors” who give at least $500 will be recognized on an advertising board at the park.

Donations can be sent to Friends of Medina Dog Park, 818 West Center St., Medina. NY 14103.

The Medina Village Board has agreed to set aside about 1 acre of the land at the former compost plant for the dog park.

Wilson said the park will be a place to take dogs for exercise, and to work on training and social skills. She said the park will draw visitors to Medina, boosting the local economy.

She expects construction of the dog park will start next spring.

Photo by Lucy Rivers: Ken McPherson fires a ball at the target and dunks Tom Rivers, editor of the Orleans Hub.

The lineup in the dunk tunk today includes

• 3 – 4 p.m. – Eric Rintouck, captain of the Lois McClure
• 4 – 5 p.m. – Medina Fire Chief Tom Lupo
• 5 – 6 p.m. – Steve Gibbs, senior manager of Hot Glass Programs and Business Technology Development at the Corning Museum of Glass

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Dunk tank added to support dog park

MEDINA – The main attractions arrived in Medina on Thursday ahead of a busy weekend in the Canal Basin.

The Lois McClure, a replica of a canal schooner from 1862, is back for a weekend of tours. The boat is joined by Corning Museum of Glass barge, which will offer glass-making demonstrations over the weekend.

Medina’s Tourism Committee has events planned while the glass barge and Lois McClure are in town. The ships will be welcomed in opening ceremonies at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.

New this year will be a wine tasting booth from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day by Leonard Oakes Estate Winery.

The Lois McClure is tied up at the dock below Five Star Bank on Thursday morning, awaiting the arrival of the Corning Museum of Glass barge. Standing at the rail is the boat’s captain Eric Rintouck, who said they will spend Friday relaxing and touring the Medina area.

A food truck is expected on site from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, and Pedal and Paddle boats will be available in the canal basin.

More children’s activities are planned this year, including a bounce house, dunk tank and face painting.

Two bands will entertain, Acoustically Sound from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday  and Pocket Change from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The Kendall Lawn Chair Ladies also will perform on Saturday from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Another highlight will be food demonstrations and dancing from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday by Mariachi de Oro Mexican Restaurant.

There will also be a dunk tank on Saturday and Sunday to raise money for a dog park in the village.

Participants in the dunk tank Saturday include:.

• 3 to 4 p.m.  – Medina Mayor Mike Sidari

• 4 – 5 p.m.  – Village Trustee Owen Toale

• 5 – 6 p.m.  – Orleans Hub Editor Tom Rivers

Sunday

• 3 – 4 p.m. – Eric Rintouck, captain of the Lois McClure

• 4 – 5 p.m. – Medina Fire Chief Tom Lupo

• 5 – 6 p.m. – Steve Gibbs, senior manager of Hot Glass Programs and Business Technology Development at the Corning Museum of Glass

Two boats arrived in Medina on Thursday morning that will be open for tours on Saturday and Sunday. The schooner Lois McClure, escorted by the Orleans County Sheriff’s boat, arrived first, with the Corning Museum of Glass barge arriving a short time later. The C.L. Churchill, a 1964 tugboat, pushes the Lois McClure along the canal.

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MEDINA – The Medina community is again preparing to welcome the historic schooner Lois McClure to the canal basin, this time accompanied by the Corning Glass barge.

Medina Tourism Committee has planned a weekend of events to celebrate the boats’ visit Aug. 11 and 12, according to Kelly Kiebala, a member of the Medina Tourism Committee.

The Lois McClure first visited Medina in 2007 and has made several return visits since.

“They really like Medina,” said Jim Hancock, chairman of the Medina Tourism Committee.

The ships will be welcomed in opening ceremonies at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 11.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: The Lois McClure docks in Medina’s canal basin during its 2017 trip down the Erie Canal. The schooner is again traveling the canal this summer, accompanied by the Corning Glass barge. They will be docked in Medina Aug. 11 and 12.

New this year will be a wine tasting booth from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day by Leonard Oakes Winery.

A food truck is expected on site from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, and Pedal and Paddle boats will be available in the canal basin.

More children’s activities are planned this year, including a bounce house, dunk tank and face painting, Kiebala said.

Two bands will entertain, Acoustically Sound from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday  and Pocket Change from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The Kendall Lawn Chair Ladies also will perform on Saturday from 6:30 to 7 p.m.

Tours of the Lois McClure will be available from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, as will glass blowing demonstrations on the Corning Glass barge. Reservations are required for the glass blowing demonstrations and may be made online at www.cmog.org. Some may also be available each day, Hancock said.

Another highlight will be food demonstrations and dancing from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday by Mariachi de Oro Mexican Restaurant.

“We are fortunate to have these boats visit on the weekend,” Hancock said. “It will make for a nice event, with the music, demonstrations and wine tasting.”

The schooner Lois McClure, accompanied by the Orleans County Sheriff’s boat, rounds the bend under the State Street bridge in Medina during its 2017 visit. The schooner will return Aug. 11 and 12 with the Corning Glass barge. Admission is free to both.

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More restaurants and wineries involved for third annual Farm-To-Table Dinner as crowd gets bigger

MEDINA – The third annual Farm-To-Table dinner in Medina included a record crowd of 220 people, as well as four restaurants, six wineries and dessert from the Shirt Factory Cafe.

It made for a memorable evening for the crowd that gathered for the five-course meal on a closed-off section of Main Street.

“We’re lucky everyone works so well together,” said Kara Zambito, general manager of Zambistro, one of the four restaurants that prepared meals for the dinner.

Her husband, Michael Zambito, has been a driving force behind the Farm-to-Table, and has reached out to many of the wineries and restaurants.

Jerod Thurber of Leonard Oakes Estate Winery serves a Riesling from the winery on Ridge Road in Medina.

Zambistro prepared the meal for the first Farm-to-Table, which had 137 guests in 2016. Last year it increased to 200 and Zambistro partnered with Mariachi De Oro. This dinner included new restaurants Mile 303 and Sourced Market & Eatery. The Shirt Factory, which has new owners, also was part of the effort with pastry chef Abby Thaine preparing summer berry chocolate cake.

All of the ingredients used in the meal were locally sourced and farm-fresh, provided almost entirely from the vendors at Canal Village Farmers’ Market. Proceeds from the dinner go to the market.

Jim and Kathy Baker, owners of Chateau Niagara in Newfane, were one of six wineries at the event in Medina. They praised the cooperation among the restaurants, wineries and the local government in putting on the event.

They were impressed to see how Medina shut down a section of Main Street, blocking it off from traffic with a fire truck at one end and a payloader at the other end.

The downtown, with the well-kept and occupied historic buildings, made for a dazzling setting, the Bakers said.

“This is a gorgeous old downtown,” Mr. Baker said while opening a bottle of wine. “It’s a beautiful venue.”

Summer Waite, a waitress with Zambistro, carries the first dish of the evening – roasted corn hush puppy – prepared by Zambistro.

Benji Pecoraro, head chef at Mile 303, and Katie Misiti, kitchen manager at Sourced Market & Eatery, get one of the courses ready for the crowd. This dish was prepared by Sourced and featured a beef brisket.

The tickets for the event sold out within 45 minutes of being available on July 6.

Sourced Market & Eatery prepared one of the courses with beef brisket, rye berry salad, quick pickle, and cherry mustard vinaigrette.

Tickets were $100 and were hot commodities. There were 200 available, and then another 20 seats for the corporate sponsors – Pride Pak, Takeform Architectural Graphics and LaBella Associates.

Wine from Chateau Niagara would be served with the second course, Chile Verde Empanada from Mariachi De Oro.

Leonel Rosario of Mariachi De Oro welcomed the chance to be part of the dinner again this year.

“I love being a part of the community and working together with all of the other businesses,” he said.

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MEDINA – Six tattoo artists did 121 tattoos on July 22, raising $7,000 for the PAWS Animal Shelter during a “Totally Pawsome Tattoo Fundraiser” at Canalside Tattoo Company.

The benefit was intended to last from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., but demand kept two of the artists working until midnight.

Shawn Ramsey, owner of Canalside Tattoo Company, opened his business for the day and worked as a tattooer with Tyler Vercruysse and Joshua Schutrum of Canalside, Lonnie Froman of Froman Ink in Medina, Sommer Froman of Inktellectuals Tattoo in Buffalo and Andrew London of London Ink in Albion.

“We chose the artists we did because they all got their start or are from Orleans County,” Ramsey said. “We are a charitable company but we believe in keeping charity among Orleans County, where we make our livelihood.”

Tyler Vercruysse works on a tattoo during the benefit. He did tattoos for 13 hours. He also suggested doing the fundraiser to help PAWS.

Ramsey said several of his customers have adopted animals from PAWS, which is located on Gaines Basin Road in Albion.

“We here are all animal lovers and we have all supported animal adoption and rescue organizations in the past,” Ramsey said. “PAWS was very receptive to our idea of the fundraiser and we are very happy they were willing to come spend their day here with us as well.”

Ramsey said many other tattoo studios do similar benefits.

“It’s great for the community and helps build awareness of the animal shelters in need as well as the local tattoo artists and tattoo studios willing to donate their time,” he said. “What separates our event from some others is that we all worked for free that day. Donating 100 percent  of the proceeds to the organization.”

The tattooers did 121 tattoos with a suggested donation of $50. Ramsey said many people gave more than the $50 and other people made donations, which pushed the total to $7,000.

There was a long line on Main Street before the doors opened at 11 a.m. for the benefit.

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