By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 8 October 2024 at 5:03 pm
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Brody Hoffmeister and his wife Jenna Pangrazio stand behind the counter in Rudy’s Soda Bar and Cafe. The business will be honored by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce as the Small Business of the Year.
MEDINA – When Brody Hoffmeister and his wife Jenna Pangrazio took over his family’s business in 2020, they knew they would have big shoes to fill, but didn’t realize what a challenge they faced.
Now, with Rudy’s Soda Bar and Café being recognized by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce as their Small Business of the Year, Hoffmeister hopes things are looking up.
Rudy’s was first started in 1988 by Hoffmeister’s grandparents, Joseph and Debra Russo. Then his mother Kelly Duffield stepped in and ran it until she died of cancer in October 2019, and Hoffmeister was thrust into running the establishment much sooner than he expected.
As if that wasn’t enough, soon after he took over, Covid hit and the restaurant was forced to close in March 2020. When they did reopen, it was for take-out only, and unfortunately, they lost employees and customers, many of whom have not come back.
The couple, however, is determine to turn the restaurant around from surviving to thriving.
“Winning the Chamber award was a surprise and humbling, and a much-needed boost,” Hoffmeister said. “We want to do what people want. I’ve spent a lot of time making sure this place survives.”
Earlier in the year Hoffmeister was on a path to change. Personally, he has lost 100 pounds. On the business side, he thought a change in the menu and décor might be welcome and he teamed up with a branding and graphic design firm to implement a change, a decision that didn’t pay off.
At their suggestion, he revamped the menu and began renovations to create a 1950s diner look.
He soon discovered, however, the new menu was not catching on.
“Sometimes you have to look through the forest to see the trees,” Hoffmeister said. “Our customers weren’t coming back. So we are going back to our old menu. Daily specials and homemade soups. Turkey dinners on Thursdays and fish on Fridays. And real mashed potatoes.”
He said his focus will continue to be quality over quantity and he invites customers to come back and check it out.
Overall, he said Rudy’s is a generational thing.
“It’s forging of bonds and the commitment of building something together that ultimately is bigger than everyone involved,” Hoffmeister said.
Of his menu he said, “If we are going to do specials, they are going to be good.”
Rudy’s, 118 West Center St., is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 7 October 2024 at 11:11 am
Gary and Maggie Roberts and their children run fruit and vegetable farm, cider press and farm market
Photos by Ginny Kropf: The Roberts family poses in front of their farm market on Maple Ridge Road in Medina. Maggie and Gary Roberts, center, are flanked by son Patrick at left, and daughter Jenna Bruning, right, all of whom are involved in running some aspect of their farm, which has been honored as the Agricultural Business of the Year by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.
MEDINA – Farming is not an easy job. The work is hard and the hours are long, but Gary and Maggie Roberts wouldn’t have it any other way.
The couple run the family farm on Freeman Road and the farm market on Maple Ridge Road with daughter Jenna Bruning and son Patrick Roberts.
They are honored and delighted to have been honored by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce as Agricultural Business of the Year.
The farm began when Gary’s grandparents, Justin and Lorraine Roberts, purchased their home and 166 acres of land on Maple Ridge Road in 1931, just across from the farm market. Gary’s sister Linda and her husband Steve Fuller live there today.
Gary and Maggie Roberts look at some of the crates of apples used to make cider at Roberts Farm Market.
Gary’s dad Orren and uncle Lee Roberts eventually took over and carried on the Roberts Farm, joined by Gary and Lee’s son Todd as the boys grew.
In 1974, Orren and Lee purchased the property on Maple Ridge Road which was H.J. Heinz pea vinery. It would become Roberts Farm Market. The first order of business was to purchase a cider press. At some point, Gary said his dad started growing plants. Gary’s sister Linda managed the operation for a long time, until around 2,000, when she decided to get into horses and a riding stable.
In the early 1990s, Gary and Todd decided to focus their main interests in different areas, and in 1996 Gary and his dad took over the fruit growing, while Todd and Lee concentrated on crops, namely corn and soy beans.
Orren eventually transitioned from growing processing fruit to high-density fresh fruit trees. From 90 acres, they expanded to 180 acres of fresh fruit trees now. Varieties include Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Snapdragon (a New York apple), Ruby Frost (also a New York apple developed and mostly grown in New York), as well as some standard old favorites, such as Cortland.
“Everything I learned was from my dad and the Cornell fruit team” Gary said.
Gary and the former Maggie Hall met in high school during their senior year in 1986. They were married in 1987 and had three children, Christopher, who lives in Durham, N.C., Jenna and Patrick. Gary and Maggie have eight grandchildren.
Jenna, who married Gabe Bruning and lives just down Freeman Road from her parents, has five children and is running the farm now with her dad.
Maggie said Patrick was born in 1996, and she started working at the farm market when Patrick went to school. Eventually she became manager and began to expand the market’s offerings.
A new cider press was installed and the cider room upgraded; they built new greenhouses; and added new products and services.
“I tried to gradually enlarge it without drastically changing anything,” Maggie said.
They grow most of their own vegetables, all their own pumpkins and raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. Maggie buys as much as she can in Orleans County, and the rest from Niagara, Monroe and Genesee counties.
Five years ago, she added a very popular apple cider slushie machine.
Gifts, garden décor, locally made baked goods, locally grown beef and mushroom, Gardner’s jam, cheese curds, honey and maple syrup are other items they sell.
“I tried to keep all Linda had here,” Maggie said.
Gary and Maggie Roberts stand among the many shelves of produce and gifts for sale at Roberts Farm Market.
In 2007, due to a large shortage of labor, Orren and his dad built their first labor camp to house Jamaicans they bring in to harvest the apple crop every year. In 2020, a second camp was built to expand their work force, which now numbers 37. Twelve arrive in March and 25 by the end of August. All are gone by the middle of November.
Their average harvest produces 175,000 bushels of apples annually. They use 20,000 bushels at the market for cider and sales.
As Jenna and Patrick take over more responsibility, Gary and Maggie plan to do some traveling, but not get out totally.
“The farm has been wonderful,” Maggie said. “It gives you the freedom and space to raise kids and you’re not stuck in an office all day. I enjoy meeting the customers, many of whom I know by their first name.”
“I couldn’t do any of this without our team,” Gary said. “It’s hard work, but it’s very rewarding at the end.”
He said the day Chamber director Darlene Hartway came in and told him of their award, he was making cider.
“We were surprised and grateful,” Maggie said.
Gary and Maggie thank the community for their support.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Brian and Lisa Christiaansen are pictured in the renovated game room they added to their pizzeria at 549 Main St., Medina. Their efforts earned them the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce’s Phoenix Award.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 7 October 2024 at 10:14 am
MEDINA – Brian and Lisa Chriastiaansen’s journey to owning their own pizza shop began when he met Mark Crane of Fairport, owner of the chain of Mark’s Pizzerias.
“The only job I’d had since I was 16 was working in a restaurant in Fairport,” said Brian, who is 53 now. “Mark asked me if I wanted to be manager of a store. That was in 1992, and within a year he asked me if I wanted to own my own store.”
He opened his first pizzeria in Hamlin, followed by Bushnell’s Basin and then Brockport. He now has stores in Medina, Albion and Newfane.
He met his wife Lisa in Medina when she worked at a bank. He opened the Albion store when their first child was born, followed a few years later by Newfane and Medina in 1997.
In 2019 the pizzeria needed remodeling and at one point he was looking at moving outside the village on Maple Ridge Road.
“But our customers liked us on Main Street,” he said. “Lance Mark owned the whole building here, with six store fronts, and I asked if he was interested in selling.”
He was, and the Christiaasens purchased it.
Brian wanted to have a space for his customers to sit down and dine and he and Lisa had always wanted a bar. They decided to combine a bar with the pizzeria, but first had to get permission from the franchise’s owner.
“Tapped Main at Mark’s Pizzeria was given permission with Mark Crane’s blessing,” Brian said.
Brian and Linda Christiaansen stand in front of Tapped On Main, the bar and game room they opened next to their existing pizza shop, Mark’s Pizzeria.
The Medina location became the only one of Mark’s franchises to serve beer and wine.
Tapped on Main opened in December 2019, then Covid hit in March 2020.
“It was slow at first,” Brian said. “We had to close the bar for a year. When we could finally open in 2021, we started to hit our stride.”
In 2023, they added a party and game room to the bar, which can accommodate private parties of 50 or less. The space is perfect for birthday parties or sports teams.
Brian said the renovation was done by Chris Marquart of Medina and his dad Dave.
Lisa had the inspiration for everything on the bar side, Brian said. They tried to keep everything original that they could, including the ceiling and a brick wall.
“Lisa, me and Chris planned it all and I’m pretty proud of that,” Brian said.
He said they have great managers in the pizzeria, which allowed him and Lisa to concentrate on getting the bar going.
Brian said Chamber director Darlene Hartway came in to tell them about their award, and he was honored.
“It’s great to get acknowledged for the work we’ve done,” he said. “We take pride in our building and our bar business and it’s nice to be recognized for it.”
Tapped on Main at Mark’s Pizzeria is open from 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. In addition to beer, wine and cocktails, they offer Mark’s Pizzeria menu and bar food.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 October 2024 at 7:58 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – A group gathers in the chapel at Boxwood Cemetery on Saturday evening for the third annual Boxwood at Night event.
The Friends of Boxwood Cemetery lighted up many of the monuments, trees and other parts of the cemetery, inviting the public to “see the cemetery in a new light.” More than 200 people attended.
Sandra and Tom Philbrick portray Susan and John Bland at the Bland family plot. The Philbricks now live in the Bland family home on West Center Street.
Mr. Bland owned several businesses in Medina, while Mrs. Bland was known for keeping a beautiful garden and maintaining an active social life. She gave Medina Memorial Hospital a good deal to acquire 10 acres for the hospital.
The event included nine different docents who portrayed people buried in the cemetery.
Miranda Starr portrays George Beach, who was born in 1842 and died in 1902. He was active in a pharmaceutical business and manufactured iron goods in Medina.
Catherine Cooper, Orleans County historian and retired director of the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, shares the story of Mary Lee-Whedon whose father left money for the community to a public library in the 1920s. Cooper said the library has been a gift of knowledge and has helped strengthen our democracy.
Jessica George of Albion and her daughter Harper, 8, check out the extra large Lite Bright that was part of the event.
The street on the south side of the cemetery was lined with torches to help illumine the path when it got dark.
The cemetery took on a different feel with the colorful display of lights.
Reinhard Rogowski portrays the late Robert Waters, who was an active community booster and the publisher of The Journal-Register. Waters died at age 90 on July 29, 2015. He led the Medina Sandstone Society and helped find a new use for the Medina Armory, among his many community efforts. He also loved to wear a bow tie.
One of the stops included a display with a list of the 107 people buried in the potter’s field. Of those 107, only 28 have head stones. The Friends of Boxwood Cemetery would like to install a plaque in the cemetery listing all 107 people.
Frank Ferri portrayed Robert H. Newell who ran a high-end shirt business in Medina on West Center Street. The business at one time had 100 employees on three floors. Ferri displayed scissors, a thimble and one of the shirts from the factory.
The Orleans County String Band played Appalachian music while people strolled on the north side of the historic cemetery on North Gravel Road.
Shawna Baldwin portrays Harriett Davey and reads a passage from Edgar Allan Poe, the famous writer who died in 1849, the year Boxwood opened.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 4 October 2024 at 8:31 pm
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Matt Hill, brother-in-law of Kwandrans Tae-Kwan-Do owner, Bob Kwandrans Jr., teaches a class in their new space at the YMCA in Medina.
MEDINA – A martial arts studio which began in 1988 on East Center Street has made a move to new quarters.
Kwandrans Tae-Kwon-Do started classes at space in the YMCA in September, said founder Bob Kwandrans Jr.
“We reached out to the YMCA, where Jesse (Cudzilo – the Y director) offered us the opportunity to work together and continue to offer a proven service to the community.”
Black Belts who teach classes at Kwandrans’ Tae-Kwon-Do are, from left, Matt Hill, Aidyn Jackson, Debby Farfaglia (who runs the school), Phoebe Kirby and Ross Tetrault.
Bob Kwandrans Jr. was 11 years old when he started karate training with Dick Borrell of Batavia. When he was a senior in high school, he started teaching Tae-Kwon-Do, and by 1988, he had opened Kwandrans Tae-Kwon-Do on East Center Street.
The family’s interest in martial arts stems from Bob Sr.’s training as a police officer in Washington, D.C. After moving back to Western New York, he and his sister started teaching Tai-Kwan-Do in Batavia.
Since 2006, he and his wife Johanna have lived near Fort Wayne, Ind., where he opened another Tae-Kwon-Do studio, and they both teach, along with their son and daughter.
A class of Tae-Kwon-Do students at Kwandrans’ Tae-Kwon-Do studio go through their routine at their new location at the YMCA. Standing at left rear is teacher Matt Hill, brother-in-law of the studio’s founder Bob Kwandrans Jr.
When he opened his first school in Medina, there was a handful of students, Bob said. Today that number has grown to 50 to 60.
His first location was a small room on East Center Street, and in 1992 Bob was able to secure a larger space at 115 East Center St.
Several years prior, Debby Farfaglia of Lockport had brought her oldest son to a class. Two years later, her youngest began lessons. Like so many students, the parents get interested because of their children, and Farfaglia began lessons herself, eventually getting her Black Belt. Today she runs the school in Medina.
What attracted her to Tae-Kwon-Do is the discipline, self-defense, balance and coordination it develops in an individual.
“I like to be busy,” she said. “I don’t like to sit around. Getting involved in Tae-Dwon-Do was one of the best moves I could make.”
Kwandrans said he has had the best people in the world on his staff, and called Farfaglia his “anchor.”
“I think the world of her and her family,” he said.
Farfaglia said they love their new space at the YMCA, where classes begin with Little Dragons. Farfaglia started the classes for children 4 to 6, and now Jess Sutch is their leader, who teaches them the basics at their level, adding fun and games.
Dylan Wood and Abigail Sutch, both 10, go to school together and are also in sports together.
“Abby didn’t want to come to Tae-Kwon-Do by herself, so she talked Dylan into it,” Jess said.
Besides teaching, Jess is also working on her double Black Stripe. The next step will be her Black Belt.
Mary Ann Wood’s children, Frankie and Dylan both take Tae-Kwon-Do and when her daughter asked her to join them, she did.
“I started because the kids wanted me to, and now I’m really into it,” she said. “I hope to get my Black Belt.”
Matt Hill, left, poses with Black Belts and other Tae-Kwon-Do instructors during classes at the YMCA. Front row, from left, are Matt Hill, Brayden Meakin, Judd Degenhardt, Sam Cammarata and Rosemary Kirby Second row, from left, are Collin Fritton, Patrick Grollmes, McKenna Fritton, Graham Kirby, Blade Moskaluk, Michael Manley and Easton Hornquist. Third row, from left, are Brody Brendlinger, Justin Kirby, Phoebe Kirby, Ross Tetrault, Debby Farfaglia (who heads the Medina facility), and Aidyn Jackson.
There are 12 levels to reach a Black Belt, beginning with white, Farfaglia said. Each level requires learning a different pattern, and that takes at least 24 classes.
Megan Johnson’s son Sam, 8, is in an Advanced Tae-Kwon-Do class and he loves it.
“He had a ton of energy as a little kid,” Johnson said. “His dad is a Black Belt, so when Sam was 5 and expressed an interest in it, we signed him up. I’ve absolutely seen a difference in his behavior. It has given his confidence a big boost.”
She said the move to the YMCA was a great thing.
“This is a wonderful place here and it is a wonderful partnership,” Johnson said.
Kwandrans’ brother-in-law Matt Hill is also a Black Belt and has taught at the studio since 2000.
“I was a late bloomer,” Hill said. “I didn’t start training until I was 33 and I’m 57 now. I enjoy fitness, but most of all, I enjoy seeing others improve and get the most out of Tae-Kwon-Do.”
(Left) Debby Farfaglia and Aidyn Jackson are both Black Belts. In the background is Jess Sutch, who just started leading the Little Dragons class and is working toward her Black Belt. (Right) A student in the Little Dragon class lands on his feet during a jump on the mat, while helper Aidyn Jackson watches in the rear.
“It’s been a great move here,” Farfaglia said. “Jesse has been wonderful to us.”
Likewise, Cudzilo is happy to have more of the community utilizing the YMCA’s facility. The space used by Tae-Kwon-Do was a multi-purpose room that had been under-utilized, he said.
“They have been having their belt ceremonies here for years, so when they reached out to see if our relationship could grow from there, I was thrilled to foster that partnership,” Cudzilo said. “Respect, perseverance and personal development fit our mission, also.”
He said welcoming Kwandrans’ studio to the YMCA allows them to offer the people of all ages in Orleans County the opportunity to grow.
“We strive to offer rich and diverse programs to the community, and this is a way to do that,” he said.
File photo by Tom Rivers: Pete Kaiser secures a hat on a scarecrow during last year’s Scarecrow Fest at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds on Oct. 14.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 30 September 2024 at 9:48 pm
KNOWLESVILLE – The Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds will be brimming with activity of a haunted kind when the annual Scarecrow Festival returns on Oct. 12.
For nearly 20 years, children and their families have attended the event to build their own unique scarecrow.
The Scarecrow Festival is sponsored by Medina Lions and has taken place in various locations around the village, until finding a home at the fairgrounds. Early festivals were at the YMCA, Roberts Farm Market, Forrestel Farms and the Canal Basin, but the fairgrounds has turned out to be the ideal location, said Lions president Tom Robinson.
There is ample parking and plenty of room for children to build a scarecrow or romp in the straw. The cost per child is $12.
The first step for children is to choose one of the stakes which Lions provide in two sizes. Then they pick out a face which has been painted by Medina High School art students and continue to the clothing area. Here, they choose from skirts, pants, shirts, blouses, belts, scarves and hats, donated by the MAAC Thrift Shop.
After dressing and stuffing their scarecrow with straw, they proceed to the “surgeons,” who sew up the scarecrow.
A new event this year will be pumpkin decorating contest from 9 a.m. to noon by the Master Gardeners. There will be a prize for the best pumpkin.
In addition, there will be a kids’ pumpkin painting activity and a carving demonstration.
Robinson stressed that adults will be available in all areas of the building to assist children. Students from Job Corps will also be on hand to lend a hand.
A food stand will have hotdogs, chips and beverages available.
Robinson said all money raised is used by the Lions to support non-profits in the community.
Many families return year after year, he said. Some say they save their creation each year and add it to their Halloween display the next year.
Robinson has visited Medina, Lyndonville and Albion school districts, leaving information on the event for all students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
But all children, even adults, are welcome to take part.
The Scarecrow Festival and Community Yard Sale in June are the Lions two biggest fundraisers, Robinson said.
Provided photos: These students are pictured with the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of Ireland. Pictured from left in back include Ahlyssa Miller, Jack Cecchini, Mason Eick, Adeline Castricone and Angel Mulchay. In front include Will Prest, Sawyer Kingsbury, Faith Baker-Austin, Morgan Zeiner, Liam Castricone, Nate Surdell, and Zach Lilley.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – Todd Eick, the Medina Junior-Senior High School FFA advisor, had been hoping to take his students on an international trip for several years now. “I had been really exploring possibilities and then Covid hit and I had to let it go by the wayside,” he said.
This past summer his dream for himself and 13 students came to fruition.
“My daughter had just gone on a trip with Mrs. Peracciny, one of our Spanish teachers, to London, Rome and Paris and I was looking at the photos and thought why aren’t I doing this?”
Mr. Eick looked into different tours and found one focused on agriculture in Ireland. Ireland’s agriculture sector is a key driver of its economy and is characterized by a focus on livestock production and exports. There are roughly 135,000 farms in Ireland.
“For our first trip it was really perfect,” he said. “It is an English-speaking country and included farm tours, horticulture tours and aquaculture tours. It all fit.”
The FFA students were joined by a group of students from northern California bringing their total to 30 for the 10-day trip that went to Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Galway, back to Dublin.
“These students came from a very rural section of the west coast and it took them three hours to get to the airport from their town,” Mr. Eick said. “It is much more rural than where we are from. It definitely added to the learning experience for my students hearing about their day-to-day lives.”
This photo shows the Medina and California students together. They spent 10 days visiting sites in Ireland. They are shown with the tour guide and driver.
The trip involved a lot of diversity for the students; everything from a pig farm, cattle farm, sheep farm, crop farms and oyster farms. They even observed the training of sheepdogs, which they all loved.
“I was very impressed with the farmers we interacted with and it was an amazing adventure for myself and the students,” Eick said. “They really got to experience farm life over there and the farmers were very energetic and very honest with the students about not only their livelihood, but their personal lives as well. One farmer shared with them his struggle with depression and how getting professional help really saved him. It was a great conversation for the students and I think made them aware that it is okay to talk about these issues. It was very impromptu and real and I think the students appreciated his honesty.”
The farmers did a great job engaging all 30 kids and making sure they experienced different things, Mr. Eick said.
“They learned a lot about the Irish culture and traditions as well,” he said.
One of Mr. Eick’s students, Morgan Zeiner, said the trip was a gift.
“My mom really wanted me to go and I have to say it was very cool,” Morgan said. “I loved learning about the history of Ireland and going to the farms was great. It was very hands-on and we milked cows, picked strawberries and helped to harvest oysters. We loved playing with the lambs. As we were walking through the cities and towns, I felt like I was walking through a museum. It was very historical and it was cool to learn about some of their laws too.”
One of those laws was about opening hedgerows where if they did that, they had to plant three times the amount elsewhere.
“The thought is to replace it with more than what you are removing,” Mr. Eick said. “They have a very sustainable agriculture mindset there. I wish we did things like that here.”
Mr. Eick said the trip was very successful in exposing the students to a different culture and expanding their worldview.
“In 2026, I plan on taking a group of students to Costa Rica and Panama and I am very excited about being able to offer them that experience of seeing the rainforest and volcanos and learning about the flora and fauna,” he said.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Kim Hare of Medina, Jen Durhan of Basom, Emily Schoolcraft and her mom Allison Schoolcraft of Medina ham it up with Betsy Fox, front, after registering and picking up their glasses for Ale in Autumn on Saturday.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 29 September 2024 at 4:03 pm
MEDINA – A few clouds and an occasional drop of rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of the 750 visitors who participated in Ale in Autumn on Saturday.
As is traditional, registration times were staggered at 1, 2 and 3 o’clock to prevent crowding in the stores. Twenty-two shops and organizations downtown took park in the event, including the American Legion, Medina Historical Society, Canal Village Farmers Market, Medina Railroad Museum, Walsh House and Canalside Tattoo in their new location on West Avenue.
Guests met at Medina Senior Center to show proof of age, pick up their glass, receive a free bag of goodies and purchase tickets for the raffle baskets in each store.
Each business poured a different ale or cider, and no one appeared get a taste they didn’t like.
(Left) Lindsay and Rick Siejak of Lockport came out in fashion for Medina Area Partnership’s annual Ale in Autumn Saturday. They bought the lederhosen and traditional German dress while visiting Munich with her parents this summer. (Right) Adrianna Noone of Rochester was one of the buskers entertaining on the streets of Medina during Ale in Autumn Saturday. She is across the street from Key Bank.
At the English Rose Tea Shoppe, Graham Huwyler and Kim Houston sampled Black Widow Cider, a mix of blackberry and apple. It was very good, Houston said. They also liked the flavored teas store owner Cindy Robinson had available.
Nick Boyle said he and his friends started the day before they left home by toasting to all their old friends and the new ones they would meet.
“This event is a great way to see our old friends and meet new people, too,” he said. “We also enjoy the shops.”
Four friends who work at the Roy-Hart Learning Center in Gasport met a former employee at Medina Senior Center on Saturday to enjoy Ale in Autumn. From left are Shatel Peters, Colleen Sandolfini, Robin Boyle, Tina Dunham and Jennifer Dunham.
Rick and Lindsay Siejak of Lockport turned heads when they showed up in traditional lederhosen and dress, which they purchased in Munich this summer when they took her parents to Germany. They met their best friends from Medina, Matt and Lauren Backlas, to do Ale in Autumn.
“We love walking around Main Street in Medina,” Lindsay said. “It is wonderful so many businesses participate.”
Robinson doesn’t remember how long ago they started Ale in Autumn.
“We got the idea for Wine About Winter in February and were looking for a fall event,” she said. “It was Kelly Kiebala who came up with the idea.”
The event has grown in popularity and been a continuous sellout.
Glasses for the event were sponsored by Walsh House, C&H PC and Bogan and Tuttle Funeral Home.
Upcoming events sponsored by Medina Area Partnership include Beggar’s Night on Oct. 25, Moonlight Madness on Nov. 21, Old Tyme Christmas and Parade of Lights on Nov. 30 and holiday open houses Dec. 5 and 8.
The popular Wine About Winter is scheduled for Feb. 1, following the same format as Ale in Autumn.
(Left) Patty Balcerzak pours Black Widow cider for Alyssa Hancock of Webster at The English Rose Tea Shoppe during Ale in Autumn Saturday. (Right) Virginia Klotzbach, left, and Chris Parone poured ale for guests at the Butts-Clark American Legion. Here, they pour Mary Guzik, center, a glass of Young Lion from a brewery in Walworth.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Pastor Kevin Lawson stands at the door of the former Calvary Tabernacle Church on Maple Ridge Road, which has been renamed The Vine.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 29 September 2024 at 3:23 pm
MEDINA – With a new building and a new pastor, Kevin Lawson said it was only fitting the church should have a new name.
The church on Maple Ridge Road, known as Calvary Tabernacle, is now The Vine.
Pastor Kevin Lawson is shown with a sign in his church’s lobby, which indicates the new name, The Vine, was taken from the Book of John, Chapter 15, Verse 5.
“We wanted it to be easier for people to understand and make it more inviting to the public,” said Pastor Lawson. “The name was 35 years old and didn’t resonate with people anymore. We are not changing our belief and our preaching. We are working very hard at being an outward church in the community.”
He explained “The Vine” is talked about in the Book of John, Chapter 15, Verse 5, where it tells about Jesus being the vine and the people the branches.
“If people stay connected to him, we will bear much fruit,” Pastor Lawson explained. “That is a simple explanation of how we can connect people with Him.”
He said the church is working at doing more community outreach. He has met with the school on how they can help some kids and their families.
The church already has a big outreach ministry with their food pantry, which is open from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday and Thursday.
“With the way the economy is and rising prices, we are on course to serve 1,000 families this year,” Pastor Lawson said. “That is a 25% increase.”
The pastor said everything is changing there. The church is growing, and attendance has doubled since opening in the new building in 2021.
“We have things for people of all ages to get involved in,” he said.
Family Night is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, with adult Bible study and activities for all kids.
Sunday morning starts with coffee hour at 9:30 a.m., followed by worship at 10:30 a.m.
One of the exciting new things, the pastor explained, is a new website and app which can be downloaded. All social media platforms have been upgraded.
When the congregation voted on the name change, Pastor Lawson said there was 98% approval.
He invites the public to come in person, and also to check out their website.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Andy Weit, 2, gets help from firefighter Captain Mike Young to hit a target with a water hose. Mom and dad Jessica and Matthew Weit and his siblings watch from behind.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 29 September 2024 at 11:31 am
MEDINA – Medina Fire Department held its annual Open House from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, a week earlier than in previous years.
“We usually hold it the first Sunday in October to kick off Fire Prevention Week and Month,” said fire chief Matt Jackson.
Medina firefighter Dylan Schrader lets Elaine Kyle, 10, hold an axe from one of the fire trucks on display.
The event featured tours of the fire station, all the trucks on display outside, a bounce house for kids, the county’s Fire Safety Trailer, a spray house where children could spray water to put out a simulated fire and Dubby’s Wood Fire Pizza on site.
In the morning, the firefighters had the annual memorial service to honor those who had passed away during the year.
“We were very fortunate we didn’t have to add any names this year,” Jackson said.
Jackson said Dustin Pahura, firefighter, set up the activities for children.
“We put a lot of effort into making this event happen,” he said.
He said the kids enjoyed the spray house and bounce house the most. Children who wanted a small plastic helmet were given one to take home.
Pahura said he liked seeing the kids having fun on the bounce house and trying to spray water from the big hose.
Matthew and Jessica Weit of Clarendon came with their three children, Robby, 8; Amelia, 4; and Andy, 2. The children all love fire trucks and wore tee shirts with fire trucks on them. The family has traveled out west to visit fire companies.
Jessica said her brother-in-law Dustin Meredith, a police officer, texted her Saturday morning about the open house.
“I told the family I guess we are going to the fire department open house today,” she said. “The kids just love fire trucks.”
Siblings Robby, 8; Andy 2; and Amelia Weit, 4, loved looking at all the firefighting apparatus at Medina Fire Department’s Open House.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 September 2024 at 8:50 pm
MEDINA – The Village Board was asked to consider allowing up to six backyard chickens for residents, with no roosters.
Medina was asked by Katie Hardner, who is leading the effort to have chickens be permitted in Orleans County villages. The Village of Lyndonville Planning Board on Sept. 16 approved an ordinance for backyard chickens. That local law now goes to the Village Board in Lyndonville for review and will need that board’s approval to be adopted.
Hardner attended Medina’s meeting on Monday evening. She urged Medina officials to allow chickens in the village. Hannah Villeyas, a Medina resident, also asked that the poultry be permitted.
Villeyas said chickens provide food, pest control, remove weeds and are great companions. She said allowing chickens gives residents more resilience in an uncertain world, and also contributes to a more sustainable community.
Hardner and supporters of “For Cluck’s Safe” have attended parades and had a booth at the Orleans County 4-H Fair, trying to build support for the cause. She said a small group of chickens are not livestock, and they provide nutritional and mental health benefits for families.
Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman said she expects the issue will be referred to the Village Planning Board for its input.
In Lyndonville, that Planning Board recommended the village adopt a local law allowing up to six chickens. Residents would need to get a permit (a one-time fee of $25), and the chickens are to be restricted to the rear or backyard of any residential zoning district.
Chicken owners will need to submit photos of the cages or coops where the chickens are housed. The cages shall not exceed 32 square feet or be taller than 7 feet.
The cages or coops need to be at least 30 feet from any door or window of a dwelling, school, church or other occupied structure other than the applicant’s dwelling.
The coops or cages also need to be at 5 feet from a side yard property line and more than 18 inches from a rear lot line. No chickens shall be kept in a front yard or side street yard areas, according to the draft ordinance.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 September 2024 at 8:34 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Hart Hotel is one of the lodging businesses in Medina. Hart Hotel includes five rooms and two lofts on the third floor of 113 West Center St.
MEDINA – Legislation in the State Capital has advanced through the Legislature and now only awaits the governor’s signature to allow the Village of Medina to impose a 2 percent tax on local bed tax for hotels, motels, boarding houses and short-term rentals.
The village has tried for several years since 2018 to get the tax through the Legislature. State Sen. Rob Ortt had been reluctant to support a new tax, but on May 22 he sponsored the bill that passed in the Senate. Assemblyman Steve Hawley backed the legislation in the Assembly.
The village will use the revenue from the tax to support the Orleans Economic Development Agency with infrastructure projects and land development in Medina, which will
increase economic development and attract new businesses for a growing
tax base within the village, according legislation passed by the Assembly and Senate.
Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman said Gov. Kathy Hochul has until Dec. 31 to sign the bill for it to take effect. The new tax will be collected by the village clerk’s office.
Village officials said the occupancy tax is on visitors to the community, not local residents. It would provide much-needed revenue for the village to promote tourism and economic development, leading to more visitors to help local businesses, village leaders said.
Orleans County also imposes a 4 percent occupancy tax that generates about $100,000 a year and is used solely by the county for its tourism promotion efforts. The Medina tax would be another 2 percent on top of the county’s occupancy tax.
MEDINA – The Sandstone Trust of Medina is accepting grant applications from not-for-profit organizations and/or programs in in Orleans County, which benefit the residents of Medina, Ridgeway and Shelby.
The community endowment program will make several thousand dollars available in December; funding is intended for purposes that clearly benefit the community. Grants generally range from $500 to $750.
Grant application forms can be obtained: in person at Michael Zelazny CPA, 511 Main St.; by regular mail request sent to Sandstone Trust, P O Box 25, Medina, NY 14103; or electronically at www.sandstonesociety.org.
Completed applications are due by Oct. 31. They should be mailed to Sandstone Trust, PO Box 25, Medina, NY 14103.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 24 September 2024 at 2:41 pm
“Jimmer” Szatkowski will be pushed 26.2 miles in a fundraiser for the Tackle ALS Foundation
Provided photo: Anthony “Jimmer” Szatkowski, a Medina native suffering from ALS, is paralyzed and on a ventilator due to the disease. He is shown here with his children, Samantha, Jack and Hunter and his wife Betty. Jimmer is determined to complete his fourth marathon Oct. 20 in Syracuse. Family and friends are stepping up to volunteer to push him the 26.2 miles. His goal is to raise $1 million for the Tackle ALS Foundation whose benefactor is the Sean M. Healey Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, the leading ALS clinic in the United States.
MEDINA – Two brothers from Medina are gearing up to complete a marathon, one in a wheelchair and the other pushing him.
Andrew Szatkowski and his brother Anthony “Jimmer” Szatkowski will participate in the Great New York State Marathon Weekend Oct. 20 in Syracuse.
The race was organized by Dan Gustafson and was started by his daughter Kelleigh Gustafson to raise awareness of the rare and life threatening disease, arteriovenous malformations. Andrew said the family has been very generous in allowing them to join in the race and raise money for Jimmer’s cause.
Jimmer grew up in Medina and graduated from Medina High School. He met his wife Betty in college and they have three children. He had embarked on a career with IBM for 20 years, until one day he decided he needed a change.
“He was driving down the road in Raleigh, N.C. and saw a crowd of people at a Chick -fil-A,” Andrew said. “He came back home and opened the first one in Central New York in Cicero.”
The restaurant was immediately a success, and Kevin Curtis, senior principal leader at Chick-fil-A, became an avid supporter of Jimmer and his fight to raise money for ALS research.
Three years ago, Jimmer, now 52, was diagnosed with ALS and today he is paralyzed and on a ventilator.
Andrew Szatkowski, left, will push his brother Jimmer in next month’s marathon in Syracuse.
“When he lost the ability to move his arms and feet, his heart and mind became super powers,” Andrew said.
Jimmer and Andrew are both athletic and love to run. Jimmer has run three marathons, including a Half Ironman, and Andrew has run two.
Jimmer continues to visit his store six days a week. Curtis a week ago announced a goal to raise $50,000 for ALS and within four days, they were at $47,000. Jimmer had previously announced he wanted to raise $1 million for the Tackle ALS Foundation, a charity created by NFL player and children’s book author Tim Green.
Curtis will also be running the marathon and helping push Jimmer. Jimmer will be in a special wheelchair which was acquired through connections Andrew made while running the Rochester Flower City half marathon. There he met Scott Strang, who is part of Ainsley’s Angels, an organization that connects people with disabilities with runners. Ainsley’s Angels provides chairs and structure for the disabled to take part in races.
“I met him while he was pushing his son Drew, and he connected me to this special chair for Jimmer,” Andrew said.
Andrew said they are in need of more people to help push Jimmer’s wheelchair. There is a minimum fee to enter the Great New York State Marathon, but in support of Jimmer, that has been set at $50. People can volunteer to run a mile or any portion of the marathon they wish. They can sign up by calling Andrew at (585) 205-0581.
