Provided photo – Medina students hold items that will go towards Christmas baskets. From left: Madison Holland, Hallie Seaman, Coby Albone, Kody Leno and Allison Bensley.

Press Release
Medina Central School

MEDINA – Students from Medina High School have turned helping out the needy into a competition at their school.

Every year the students collect canned and boxed food items for the Medina Area Association of Churches (MAAC). Many of the students raid their home pantries or go shopping for the charity to make someone’s holiday brighter, but having a stiff competition has helped to generate even more donations.

Julie Webber, a French teacher and a Student Association advisor, says students are playing to award their favorite teacher the Canley Cup, a cherished trophy made out of cans that goes to the teacher who inspires the students to bring in the most items.

“Each item is worth a point and some foods are considered bonus items and are worth two points,” she explains. “We ask the students to give their donation to a teacher and the teacher who collects the most by Dec. 5 gets possession of the Canley Cup and has bragging rights until the next year.”

The competition is in full swing and staff and students are hoping for a record-breaking donation so that MAAC can fill Christmas baskets for people in the community.

Photos by Tom Rivers  – Tim Smith from Chesapeake Organ Service in Red Lion, Pa., drills screws out of the top of the organ at Trinity Lutheran Church in Medina. The organ is being taken apart with a bigger one headed to the church.

MEDINA – For nearly a century the organ at Trinity Lutheran Church in Medina filled the sanctuary with sounds of beloved church hymns.

But in recent days, the organ has been torn apart, with sounds of drills, hammers and bursting wood.

The organ should be gone in a few days. By Easter, a bigger, better organ will be in its place.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the church,” said Andrew Meier, the church organist.

Tim Smith works on removing the church organ at Trinity Lutheran.

Meier helped orchestrate the change. Trinity is removing an organ from 1925 with eight ranks or eight sets of pipes and two manuals or keyboards. It will be replaced with one from 1968 that has 29 sets of pipes and three keyboards. Christ Episcopal Cathedral in Cincinnati, Ohio donated the 1968 Holtkamp pipe organ to Trinity Lutheran.

The church in Cincinnati is being renovated and is putting in a more compact organ. Trinity has the space for the organ to be spread out in all of its glory.

Smith’s company will clean and rebuild the organ. The church has raised most of the money for the project, but donations are welcome. (Checks for “Organ Fund” can be sent to Trinity Lutheran Church, 1212 West Ave., Medina NY 14103.)

Trinity has the space in the balcony to accommodate a large organ. Tim Smith is standing on top of the instrument.

Meier said there are many fine organs in Orleans County as well as in Rochester.

“We could make our area an organ destination,” he said. “I think we really have something here.”

Smith has seen a resurgence in the instruments, with Gen X’ers leading a push to more traditional church music with organs. He also is executive director of The Portageville Chapel in Wyoming County. That includes a church from 1841 with a chapel that serves as a retreat for organists. Smith said the chapel has been booked for 50 weeks this year for organists looking to hone their craft.

He connected with Meier at The Portageville Chapel. Smith said Trinity will be receiving an organ “in very fine condition.” He will bring the organ to Medina in stages, likely in beginning in January. The goal is to have the organ ready for April 5, Easter Sunday.

Tim Smith is working on the task of taking apart an organ from 1925.

MEDINA – Ashton Lang is a new full-time firefighter for the Medina Fire Department, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of Jerry Lewis.

Lang has been working as a temporary firefighter for Medina FD. He also is a volunteer for the Lyndonville Fire Department. He is pictured in the photo at Lyndonville as part of a fire prevention program at the school on Oct. 7.

The Fire Department is now back up to 13 full-time firefighters following the Village Board’s appointment on Monday. The Fire Department now has two vacancies in temporary positions that Fire Chief Todd Zinkievich would like to fill.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Edgar Rosario has his face painted for today’s Dia de Los Muertos/Todos Los Santos celebration at Mariachi de Oro Mexican Grill, a restaurant where his father Francisco Rosario is co-owner. Edgar is pictured near murals inside the restaurant near the bar.

MEDINA – It was a huge smorgasbord of food – chocolate, candy, bread, fruit and much more. The display included flowers and gifts, and it gave off a rich and sweet smell.

The Rosario family believes some of their late relatives came to visit for the annual Day of the Dead/All Saints Day, a 30-day tradition in the Mexican culture where families honor their dead. Their souls are believed to come home and take in the aromas during the celebration.

For the first time, the Rosario family, owners of Mariachi de Oro Mexican Grill in Medina, welcomed the community to be a part of an important cultural tradition in Mexico.

“Having this restaurant we’re able to share traditional foods,” said Leonel Rosario, co-owner of Mariachi de Oro. “We wanted to share more of our culture with the community.”

Leonel Rosario and his wife Dolores Alvarado perform The Hat Dance, a traditional Mexican folk dance tonight at The Day of the Dead festivities.

Three years ago Leonel Rosario and his family opened Mariachi de Oro Mexican Grill on Maple Ridge Road in Medina. The Rosarios are thankful the community has supported the business.

The Rosarios created an altar of food and flowers at the restaurant today. Rosario told about 50 people at Mariachi de Oro about the popular tradition in Mexico. When he grew up in Oaxaca, he would visit a cemetery with his family, and spend much of the night with candles, flowers and tending to relatives’ graves.

The waitresses at Mariachi de Oro Mexican Grill have their faces painted and they are wearing traditional blouses and dresses from Oaxaca in Mexico, where the Rosario family is from. The waitresses include, from left: Ashley Vandegenachte, Amber Perez, Dolores Alvarado, Elysa Rodriguez and Yasmin Gutierrez.

In the morning, families would gather at their homes for a tradition that is bigger than Christmas for many Mexicans.

“We believe in old traditions, old cultures from the State of Oaxaca,” Rosario told a group tonight at the restaurant. “We want to keep the tradition going. Some day I will come visit my kids’ houses (after I die).”

The Rosarios served cooked grasshoppers, soup, chicken mole, tamales and dessert. They also shared traditional dances and music with the crowd.

Francisco Rosario, right, plays the accordion and Pablo Rosario plays the guitar during The Day of the Dead celebration at Mariachi de Oro.

“It’s good to see young people keeping their culture alive,” said Scott Galliford of Clarendon. He attended the celebration with his wife, Christine Hunt.

They have visited Mexico for The Day of Dead in Oaxaca. Galliford said it is a fun time to be in the country, partaking in the food and music. He said he is grateful the Rosarios opened up the celebration to the community.

An altar of flowers and food was prepared for the Day of the Dead/All Saints Day.

ID on collar pinpointed owner of Sam, an orange tabby

Photo by Howard Balaban – Jeff Stahl and Rachael Goldstein, left, of Harrisburg, Pa., meet with Adam and Nikki Hefner, of Watertown, Saturday morning in Batavia to return Sam, the Hefners’ cat. Sam jumped out of a moving truck unbeknownst to the couple during their move from Georgia. Stahl and Goldstein were in New York to visit his family in Medina.

By Howard Balaban
Special to the Orleans Hub

BATAVIA – For Adam and Nikki Hefner, moving from Georgia to their new home in Watertown was going to be difficult enough. The 1,100-mile trek saw both of them driving, as Adam drove a moving truck and followed behind Nikki, who was riding with her dad.

Adam is a specialist in the Army and will be stationed at Fort Drum. He has already served a tour of duty in Iraq. Several days ago, during the move, Nikki got into a small accident on Interstate 81 near Harrisburg, Pa.

“I got out to make sure they were OK,” Adam recalled, mentioning that their small convoy pulled off on an exit to gather themselves.

The Hefners’ cat, Sam, was riding in the cab of the truck with Adam. About 20 miles back into their journey to Watertown, Adam realized that Sam must have left the truck during the commotion.

“I thought he had stayed under the seat,” he said. “I told Nikki, ‘I can’t find the cat.'”

Thankfully, the couple had put a collar with contact information on a tag on Sam. And Sam, an orange tabby, made his way to the front porch of a Harrisburg couple.

“He was on our front porch when I got home at night,” Rachael Goldstein said. “First I brought him over to the neighbor’s house because she has a lot of cats, but it wasn’t hers. Then I figured just to be safe, I’d call the number on the tag.”

The call came as a bit of shock to the Hefners.

“I was glad to hear he was okay and that we could arrange something,” said a relieved Nikki. “I thought he had been hit on 81.”

Indeed, Goldstein and her boyfriend, Jeff Stahl, had made prior plans to visit his family in Medina this weekend. She chuckled as she recalled how easily the situation unfolded, as it led to a meeting Saturday morning in Batavia, where Sam was reunited with his owners.

“It was closer for them, but it’s still a long drive,” Goldstein said. Adam said he probably would have driven to Pennsylvania for the family pet, but said he was thankful the drive was essentially cut in half.

Adam added that he was thankful to have tags on Sam, because it definitely worked. Nikki noted that Sam used to be allowed to roam wherever he wanted, but thanks to this recent adventure he will now remain an indoor cat.

As the couples parted ways, an attempt was made to compensate both Stahl and Goldstein, but neither one accepted anything.

“We just took care of him the past couple days,” Goldstein said. “He’s such a friendly cat, and we just wanted him to get back to his home. It was worth bringing him up and meeting up with his owners so we could do that.”

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – These Little People were part of a feature on Fisher-Price toys during a discussion and display by the Medina Historical Society last month at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina.

The Little People were finalists for the Toy Hall of Fame at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester. But the locally made toys didn’t make the final cut. The new inductees include Bubbles, little green army men and Rubik’s Cube.

Little People were among 12 finalists for the Hall of Fame. Fisher-Price operated in Medina from 1970 to the late 1990s. I think the Little People are the first Fisher-Price toys to be in the running for the Toy Hall of Fame.

For more on the Hall of Fame, click here.

Company in Medina sets new standard for giving to agency

Photos by Tom Rivers – Nelson Patterson, vice president at Baxer International, addresses employees today during a town hall style meeting when employees were recognized for giving to United Way.

MEDINA – Baxter International employees were challenged in September to break last year’s $60,000 in contributions to the Orleans County United Way.

Employees rose to the occasion. Altogether Baxter raised $65,000 for the United Way. A ceremonial check was handed to United Way Executive Director Marsha Rivers this morning, when employees gathered to celebrate a successful fund-raising drive.

“I do want to say thank you on behalf of the people we’re helping,” Rivers said in addressing the Baxter workforce at a town hall style meeting. “Your generosity is tremendous and it will make a huge difference in the lives of a lot of people.”

Marsha Rivers, Orleans County United Way executive director, holds the $65,000 ceremonial check with Dick Barry, a former United Way board member.

Nelson Patterson, company vice president, serves on the United Way board. He has been a big cheerleader for the agency inside the building, paying for gift cards out of his own money as incentives for people to donate for the first time or to raise their contributions. Baxter Credit Union also provided gift cards as incentives.

About 200 employees are donating to United Way for $32,500. Baxter will match those donations for $65,000 total. The company has 580 workers in Medina.

Patterson said he sees more potential to raise even more money for United Way, which allocates funds to about 20 agencies in Orleans County.

Del Alvarez accepts a gift card from Dick Barry after Alvarez’s name was drawn as part of an incentive to encourage employees to donate or to boost their past contributions to United Way. Alvarez works in the company’s quality department.

“It is a great privilege to be a part of the Orleans County community and this company,” Patterson told the Baxter employees. “Each of us plays a part whether we volunteer in the community, whether we give of our money and our earnings, or whether we give of our time to help someone in need.”

In addition to financial donations, Baxter employees volunteer with many local agencies. Patterson said they logged 2,500 volunteer hours with the Community Kitchen in Albion, the Arc of Orleans County and Camp Rainbow, and the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program.

When Patterson arrived in Medina about 2 ½ years ago to lead the Medina manufacturing site, one of his first calls that day was to the United Way. He wanted to be a part of the agency’s efforts in Orleans County.

“It’s an outstanding opportunity to make an impact in the community,” he said.

About 200 Baxter employees contribute to the United Way and their contributions are matched by Baxter.

Baxter manufactures Sigma Spectrum pumps, which utilize smart infusion technology in the medical field. The Medina site inside the Olde Pickle Factory on Park Avenue produces smart-infusion pumps, devices that reduce medication errors by delivering the specific amounts of IV medications and fluids to patients.

Sigma was owned by Roger Hungerford, who sold the company to Baxter. Hungerford also was a big proponent of the United Way, Patterson said.

“Roger emphasized it,” Patterson said. “He is a person with a passion for Medina, for seeing the community thrive.”

Patterson recently accepted a new job with Baxter back at the company headquarters in Deerfield, Ill. At today’s meeting, he praised the generosity of the Medina workers and encouraged them to continue supporting United Way in the future.

United Way and Baxter partnered on a “Route 104” campaign. If employees gave a $1 a week to United Way, Baxter would match that contribution, for $104 total.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MURRAY – About 300 people turned out for the annual Treasure Island fundraiser for Medina Memorial Hospital and Orleans Community Health.

In the top photo, Pam Canham, left, and her cousin Laurel Carney of Oakfield look over some of the items up for bid at Hickory Ridge Country Club. Treasure Island moved from the Sacred Heart Club in Medina to Hickory Ridge in Murray to better accommodate the crowd and the 266 items up for bid. Jerome Pawlak of Albion and Dr. Tom Madejski, an attending physician at Medina Memorial, served as honorary chairmen of the event.

Jim Moody, director of the Orleans Community Health Foundation, addresses the crowd for Treasure Island. He announced $20,000 had been raised for hospital in sponsors for Treasure Island.

He expected the auction would raised another $20,000 to $25,000 for $40,000 to $45,000 altogether. That money will be used to remodel and renovate the emergency room, a project planned for the first quarter of 2015.

The hospital within a month expects to begin on a $300,000 remodel of the front lobby and the area leading to the ER.

Dolores Horvath, President and CEO of Orleans Community Health/Medina Memorial Hospital, addresses the crowd for Treasure Island.

“I am very excited for the system,” Horvath said. “We’ve turned the corner. We’re on the right path.”

Horvath said she was impressed by the big crowd of supporters at the benefit on Saturday.

“Look at all of these people in the room,” she said. “That speaks volumes for the hospital.”

She praised a new affiliation with Catholic Health, based in Buffalo. Catholic Health has two cardiologists working out of Orleans County, and is working on providing telemedicine and an orthopedic program.

“We can help them be stronger,” said Roger Duryea, vice president of planning and business development for Catholic Health.

He was one of eight from Catholic Health who attended the benefit. Bringing healthcare services to the community is part of the mission of Catholic Health, he said.

Catholic Health is only asking for the chance to compete for patients who need higher level services, Duryea said. The organization also has affiliations with hospitals in Springville and Westfield.

Village adds $50 out-of-district surcharge

MEDINA – It will cost more to be transported in Medina ambulance and calls outside western Orleans County will soon be assessed a $50 out-of-district surcharge.

The Village Board approved raising the mileage rate for ambulance transports from $20 to $30. Medina had been on the low end for mileage rates and is now in the middle of the pack, Fire Chief Todd Zinkievich told the Village Board.

“We’re still at a respectable level,” he said.

The Fire Department has seen its calls increase outside its contract area – the Village of Medina and towns of Shelby, Yates and Ridgeway. Zinkievich said the Medina ambulance responds to calls in Albion and central Orleans, and Genesee and Niagara counties. Some ambulance squads will include surcharges for up to $100 for out-of-district work.

Zinkievich said $100 may be too high to start with. He suggested $50 and the Village Board agreed.

Photo by Tom Rivers

People in costume cross East Center Street on Friday during Beggar’s Night in Medina. The village of Medina has set 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for trick-or-treating hours on Halloween, which is Friday.

Medina also is limiting trick-or-treating to children 12 and younger, and advises people to only knock on doors of homes with their outdoor lights on. Residents wishing to participate in Halloween are asked to have their porch lights on at 5:30 p.m. to indicate participation.

Albion has set trick-or-treating hours from 5 to 8 p.m. and Lyndonville will have trick-or-treating from 6 to 8 p.m.

If any other towns or villages have established hours for trick-or-treating, they are welcome to send that information to info@orleanshub.com.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Bill Beach and his fiancée Linda Postle have turned their backyard into a graveyard. Their carriage house is full of skeletons, witches and scary clowns.

They will open up their displays to the community on Halloween. It will be their fourth time welcoming people to their haunted house at 341 East Oak Orchard St. They team with their neighbors, Rich and Lisa Kenward, and other cast and crew for the production.

“Every year it grows,” Postle said.

The carriage house has some characters up high.

Postle started having a Halloween display a few years ago when she lived on Culvert Road out in the country. Her neighbors liked it, but Postle said there weren’t too many trick-or-treaters out there.

There is a big crowd of children in the village on Halloween. She and Beach wear costumes when they greet the visitors and welcome them to see the ghoulish display in the backyard and carriage house. They don’t try to scare little kids, but they admitted they like to push it with the teen-agers. Some high school kids run down the driveway, dropping their candy because of the fright.

“People come in by the carloads,” Beach said. “People when they leave here they say, Excellent, excellent job.'”

New this year includes skeletons playing cards at a bar.

Postle has a series of grave markers with the names of famous horror stars, including Freddy Kruger, Jason Vorhees, Carrie White and Michael Myers.

She smiled as she looked out on the lawn of characters.

“It breaks up the monotony in life,” she said.

Provided photos – Members of the Medina Mustang Field Band poses with their awards after Sunday’s championship show in Syracuse.

MEDINA – The Medina Mustang Field Band took second place in its division on Sunday during the state championship at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, where 52 bands competed in six different classifications.

Medina competes in the SS1 class against six other schools. New Hartford took first place with a score of 92.10 followed by Medina at 89.90. Other rankings include Northwestern in seventh at 83.65, Oswego in sixth at 84.10, Mohonasen in 5th at 84.85, East Irondequoit in fourth with 85.45 and ESM in 3rd with 89.70.

There were more than 5,000 students in the New York State Field Band Conference annual championships. Medina won the state title last year.

Medina started the day at 8 a.m. with the Dome Breakfast put on by the Boosters and the help of many parents as a kind of “pep rally” to bring everyone together. For the seniors it was exciting to be returning to the Dome, but at the same time they knew it would be the last time they would perform their show together. Seniors draw a tear on their cheek for the last show.

Medina this season performed a 7-minute Miss Saigon repertoire including “The Heat is On,” “Please,” “March of the Dragon,” and “Fall of Saigon.”

Band Director Jim Steele said the kids did everything they were asked to do and their performance was outstanding. There are many life lessons to be learned when participating in an activity such as marching band.

As long as you put your best performance out there, whether you come in first or not, that’s good enough, Steele told the students. Before going on the field to perform and after the awards, Steele had the band members form a circle and hold hands with the people around them. No matter what position you win or what trophy you come home with, the people in that circle and the friendships made will still be there, he said.

While the Field Band season is coming to a close the students are preparing for their winter concerts. Winterguard will begin practicing for their show.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Medina Mayor Andrew Meier listens during a discussion at tonight’s Village Board meeting. He is joined by Village Trustee Mike Sidari.

MEDINA – Village residents will get their say on whether or not there will be a village government during a public referendum set for Jan. 20.

The Village Board voted tonight to set the date for the referendum. That followed an Oct. 23 decision by Village Clerk Debbie Padoleski to certify a petition circulated by members of “One Medina,” which wants to see the village government dissolved and the towns of Ridgeway and Shelby merged into one entity.

The dissolution move has been about three years in process since the village and two towns first formed a committee to look at the how to best streamline government services and reduce the cost of government in the community. A committee then suggested village dissolution and a town merger.

The issue on Jan. 20 will focus on the village dissolution and only village residents will be eligible to vote from noon to 9 p.m. at the Senior Center. (Absentee ballots will also be available.)

After Padoleski certified the petitions, the Village Board had 30 days to set a public referendum. That public vote had to fall within a minimum of 60 days and a maximum of 90 days from when the board sets the vote.

Village Trustee Mark Irwin made the motion to set the referendum date. He said the vote 20 days after New Year’s Day “gives both sides a chance to make their case.”

Mayor Andrew Meier has been pushing dissolution, even though it will cost him his job as mayor. He sees it as a best course for the community’s future, by narrowing the tax burden between current village residents and those outside the village in the two towns.

Residents with a house assessed at $70,000 can save about $1,000 a year in taxes if they move outside the village and live in the two towns. Meier wants to reduce the tax incentive for residents and businesses to locate outside the village.

Ridgeway Town Councilwoman Mary Woodruff said dissolution would just be a tax shift to the two towns. She urged the Village Board to educate the public about possible scenarios and tax impacts with the dissolution.

Village Trustee Mark Kruzynski said the public referendum will simply be on whether or not the village government should be dissolved. The vote won’t get into the specifics of a dissolution plan. A planin April was presented by a committee that worked with a consultant, the Center for Governmental Research in Rochester.

That plan would preserve the police and fire departments and other village services. However, officials from the two towns have said Shelby and Ridgeway aren’t obligated to follow that plan.

A potential loss of services worries some residents, including Trustee Marguerite Sherman.

“Residents need to know once it’s gone, it’s gone,” she said about dissolution.

The village would continue for about two more years, even if residents vote to dissolve it. That will give time for an orderly transition to the two towns, and perhaps to form a local development corporation or public authority for some services.

“Medina will still be Medina even if it ceases to be a village,” Irwin said. “The village won’t just vaporize.”

He cited examples of Charlotte in Rochester and La Salle in Niagara Falls, communities that kept their identities even when their village governments faded away.

Woodruff is a village resident and she said she likes having local representatives to share her concerns.

“I want my voice in the government,” she told the board.

She also said the two towns don’t plan on working towards a consolidation.

Ed Weider helped circulate the petitions to get dissolution on the ballot. He addressed the Village Board tonight and said the community should look at the issue as a “reorganization plan.”

“The village won’t just go away with a flip of the switch,” he said. “It will take two years to reorganize and that will require a great deal of cooperation.”