MEDINA – Not only were there several thousand people in downtown Medina watching the Parade of Lights on Saturday evening, but there was a barred owl taking in the action from a high vantage point.

Cassandra Boring sent in the top photo of the owl that she said is “gorgeous.” Social media has many images and exclamation of joy about the owl.

Boring also took this photo of the owl hanging out on a wire on Main Street.

Orleans Hub editor Tom Rivers heard the commotion about the owl but wasn’t able to get a decent photo of it atop the Creekside Floral building next to Rotary Park. The owl then flew across Main Street to the top of the Bent’s Opera House.

Jesse Sponaugle posted this image taken by Riki Lake on the Orleans Hub Facebook page.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – It was another magical Parade of Lights in Medina this evening, with the 55 floats in the 15^th annual parade. That’s the most in the parade’s history.

These Girl Scouts in the Cobblestone Service Unit in Albion created a float in a Polar Express theme.

Click here to see an Orleans Hub video of the parade, fireworks and some other festivities.

The processional of floats drew several thousand people to a packed downtown.

Mahar’s Septic has been a mainstay in recent parades and was back again today with theme from National Lampoon Vacation including “Cousin Eddie” from the movie.

The drumline for the Medina Marching Band performs in the parade in front of the judges. The parade last about an hour and 15 minutes.

Burger King in Medina joined the parade for the first time and sent a message its hamburgers are superior than those at McDonalds and Wendy’s.

Blissett’s and Bennetts Boots teamed up for the “Bill setts” float celebrating the Buffalo Bills.

Schwab Farm Market and Bakery in Gasport made its debut in the parade and touted the Buffalo Bills and SnapDragon apples.

The Oakfield Fire Department was among several nearby fire departments that brought fire trucks adorned in bright lights.

Before the parade, fireworks were set off over the Erie Canal. This shows a reflection over the water in the Canal Basin.

Mrs. Claus and Santa concluded the parade and waved to the crowd =ina  float created by Takeform.

Painted Sky Ranch and Mariah Meadows 4-H in Brockport brought 16 horses for the parade. The horses had red and green glitter and light-up clips on their manes and tails.

Red Rose Landscaping LLC of Tonawanda had a float with a religious message during the Christmas season.

4-H Heelers Dog Club had a colorful display for the parade.

The Eye of Oden K-9 Training in Kent brought a float and 13 dogs and handlers for the event.

The Medina Lions Club showed its pride.

Pro Hardware in Albion was a newcomer for the parade.

The Albion FFA had lots of fun on the parade route despite temperatures just above freezing.

Calvary Tabernacle had a scary Grinch in its float with a message: “You Shall Not Steal.”

The Roy-Hart FFA used a lot of lights for its Candy Land float.

The Medina Misfits wore costumes from peanuts and wore paper mache heads created by Jodi Rosenbeck, one of the misfits. The group includes many Medina business owners who enjoy getting together to have some fun, said Gloria Brent, one of the misfits.

Callie Gardner of Middleport waves to the crowd. The Gardner and Brown families created the gingerbread cookie and house float and were in the parade for the first time. Callie’s husband Jason is wearing the gingerbread cookie costume.

Todd Bensley served as the parade’s grand marshal.

The Medina transportation department for the school district returned to the parade for the first time since 2015 and had a patriotic display.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – This dog carries a Santa during the Pets on Parade today at noon in Medina. This year there were about 30 dogs in the procession, the most since pets were welcomed in a parade leading Santa to downtown Medina.

Santa is joined by an elf in making his arrival in downtown Medina. He visited kids in the Santa House at Rotary Park after the parade.

Medina band students played holiday favorites from a trailer.

Connor Tobin and his mother Jessica Tobin from Spencerport pulled puppies in wagons that are at PAWS Animal Shelter. Those dogs aren’t quite old enough to be adopted yet. PAWS volunteers brought seven dogs for the parade.

Gary Watts of Medina helps his granddaughter Charlotte McGrath, 11, squeeze into a costume of a Minion. Gary’s wife Robin made the costume. It is a new character for Medina’s parade.

Jessica Marciano wears an Olaf costume. She walked in the parade with her daughter, Cadence, 4.

Katy Owczarczak, left, and her daughter Aurora Owczarczak walk their dogs in the pet parade. Katy is with Gabe, a German shepherd, and Aurora walks with Meredith, an English cream retriever.

Santa gets a nice reception when he arrives at Rotary Park.

Shawn Ramsey, owner of Canalside Tattoo on Main Street, is dressed as Santa. The tattoo business will be collecting toys until 8 p.m. today. Those toys will be distributed by Community Action of Orleans & Genesee and the Medina Area Association of Churches.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Jacob Rissew, a senior at Medina, wore the Santa suit and got off to a fast start in this morning’s Home for the Holidays 5K.

There were 158 participants in the race, the most in its 11 years.

Rissew wore the Santa suit as part of a community service requirement for a high school class. He said it ended up being a fun time.

Debbie Tompkins welcomes the runners to the race. They started in the canal basin and headed down Route 31 to State Street Park. They went to Bates Road and got on the towpath before turning at the lift bridge and heading back to the finish line in front of the American Legion Post on North Main Street.

Tompkins organizes the race with Teresa Wilkins. They thought the bigger crowd of runners and walkers was due to the beneficiary of the race: PAWS Animal Shelter.

Martha Snyder, 24, of Medina competes in the 5K with her dog, Koda. They are in front of a mural created last year by Brandi Zavitz under the Glenwood Avenue canal bridge.

Aeddon Cayea, 24, of Medina was the first male finisher in a time of 18:59, while Taylor Heschke, 20, of Appleton was the first female to cross the finish line in a time of 19:38.

Madeline Mark, 14, of Medina and her father Adam Mark head to the finish line. Madeline was among the fastest females with a time of 23:42.

This group of friends dressed up in holiday characters for the 5K. From left include Robin Wehling of Medina in the Grinch costume, Beverly Woodard as an elf and Leslie Mischel with a Grinch sweater.

Jeremy Weakland of Barker carried an American flag for the entire race.

“I’m a vet,” he said. “I love the reaction when people see the flag. It inspires them.”

This runner in a Santa hat goes by the Big Apple sculpture created by Richard Bannister.

Click here to see a schedule of events during today’s Olde Time Christmas, including the Parade of Lights at 6 p.m.

Honorees include Horace Clark Bird (Class of 1956), Colin Huwyler (Class of 2002), Dr. Daniel Terryberry (Class of 1980) and Toby Williams (Class of 1991)

Photo courtesy of Medina Central School: Pictured from left, first row, include Dr. Daniel Terryberry, Bobbie Huwyler (accepting for her son Colin Huwyler) and Jeff Bird (accepting for his dad, Horace Clark Bird). Back row: Medina Athletic Director Eric Valley (accepting for his friend Toby Williams) and Medina Junior/Senior High School Principal Michael Cavanagh.

Press Release, Medina Central School

MEDINA – Medina Junior/Senior High School recognized four distinguished alumni on Friday for their outstanding contributions to their community and/or their chosen career.

The award is given annually to honor alumni, promote school spirit, foster pride in the school and community and to serve as an incentive for the current student body.

This year’s recipients are Mr. Horace Clark Bird (Class of 1956), Mr. Colin Huwyler (Class of 2002), Dr. Daniel Terryberry (Class of 1980) and Mr. Toby Williams (Class of 1991).

“Having worked in Medina for many years, I can definitely say that it is a blessing to be part of a community like ours,” said Michael Cavanagh, the school principal. “The people that we honor today are proof that we are all capable of achieving greatness and truly making a difference in society.”

Horace “Butch” Clark Bird graduated in 1956. After high school he attended Cornell University, playing saxophone in the Big Red Marching Band. After graduating with a B.S. and Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1961, he joined the US Air Force and piloted C-130 cargo aircraft. He flew over 178 combat missions in Southeast Asia and accumulated over 4,000 flying hours out of combat areas. He was awarded seven Air Medals and earned the rank of Captain.

He and his wife Dayle met in Tachikawa, Japan and moved to Rochester, New York where they raised their three children. Butch worked as an engineer at Eastman Kodak Company. He and his colleagues held patents for the first instant camera.

After retiring in 1995, Butch started teaching English while working at Minolta in Osaka, Japan. After earning an English as a Second Language teaching certificate, he taught English and Japanese in Bangkok, Thailand. Sadly, Butch passed away January 4, 2023.

Colin Huwyler is a member of the Class of 2002. After graduating, he went on to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and also earned a certificate in Entrepreneurial Leadership from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business.

While a freshman in college, Colin experimented with biofuels on his Volkswagen Jetta. These experiments led him to create a biofuel system for passenger vehicles, and over the years, this drew interest from a number of private fleets who wanted to utilize the technology to reduce the emissions of the heavy-duty trucks. This led Colin to be a veteran of the renewable fuels industry and becoming the CEO of Optimus Technologies. He also founded Fossil Free Fuel and was the Director of Research and Technology at Steel City Biofuels. He is the co-inventor on several Optimus Technologies patents.

In 2019, Colin was announced as the winner of NYSERDA’s (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) 76west Clean Energy Competition.  With his prize money, he plans to establish a company in the Binghamton/Ithaca areas.

Colin has consulted and given lectures on biofuels, product development, the low-carbon economy, and a variety of other topics for non-profits, government agencies, corporations and universities.

Dr. Daniel Terryberry was a member of the Class of 1980. During his time at Medina High School, he participated in JV and Varsity Football, as well as Varsity Tennis. He was also selected as the Boys’ State representative his junior and senior years, representing the school for football in All League. He went on to Houghton College and then studied medicine at the University at Buffalo. After receiving a country-wide scholarship to encourage physicians to practice medicine in small, rural towns, he established roots in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. In a nod to his alma mater, the name of his practice is Mustang Medical!

Dr. Terryberry began his medical practice in the fields of gynecology and obstetrics and then later switched his practice to family medicine. He has been voted “Best Doctor” many years and has served as Chief of Staff, Chief Medical Officer, Medical Review Officer and Occupational Health Director throughout his career. He also managed the response to the Covid-19 crisis for the entire Vidant Hospital System.

During his career, he has completed two mission trips with Doctors Without Borders to assist patients in Belize and most recently supported a family from the Ukraine as they were fleeing their native country. Mustang Medical has also had a presence in Kabul and Mazur in Afghanistan and the embassy in Baghdad. His practice continues to support American defense contractors in Qatar, Israel and Burkina Faso.

He and his wife raised four daughters in Elizabeth City and remain a pillar of the community. He serves on several boards and his committed to youth development as he funds multiple sports camps and development programs. He is active in his church and gives back every chance he can. Dr. Terryberry supports local Mustang athletes every year by generously donating to the Boice-Ossont Scholar Athlete Scholarship, which is awarded annually at the Medina Junior/Senior High School Block M Banquet.

Toby Williams is a member of the Class of 1991. During his time at Medina High School, Toby was a member of the National Honor Society and Ski Club. He also participated in Varsity Soccer and Baseball throughout high school. Both of Toby’s parents were members of the faculty at Medina Central School District. He gives credit for his solid education foundation to his parents, along with many supportive teachers he had while at the district. He especially remembers the encouragement and support from Mr. O’Dea, who was his soccer coach.

Toby earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Houghton College, where he majored in Political Science. Afterwards, he went on to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration and a Juris Doctor Degree from Ohio State University. He started his career as securities and mergers and acquisition lawyer in Washington, DC and New York.

Toby later went on to become an investment banker at Citigroup, Inc. He later became the Director of Corporate Development at Paychex, Inc where from 2006-2011 he led all mergers, acquisitions and corporate development efforts. In 2017, he joined Paylocity as Chief Financial Officer and was promoted to President.

In 2022 he was named Co-CEO. Paylocity is a leading provider of cloud-based human resources and payroll software and is recognized as one of the best places to work.  It has been named one of Chicago’s 101 Best and Brightest, along with being one of the best places to work in Illinois. Toby resides in Washington, D.C.

UB architecture students create memorial to honor Sydney Gross, who is remembered for vibrant personality

Photos by Tom Rivers: A new sculpture with 23 precast concrete modules was unveiled on Friday at the Lions Park along the Erie Canal in Medina just east of the lift bridge on Route 63.

MEDINA – The University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning accepted the challenge: create a memorial for a former student that would be engaging, reflecting the ebullient personality of the late Sydney Gross.

Gross was a student in the program who left a strong impression on her professors and the other students. She was a very social person who was friends with everyone. She was killed in a car accident in July 2009.

Gross’s family has donated to projects at the UB School of Architecture and Planning in Sydney’s name. They have funded part of a lecture series, paid for the travel of UB students to compete at the solar decathlon in Italy, and also a 10-year alumni symposium.

The family wanted a sculpture in memory of Sydney, a project that would challenge the UB students and also have an end result of bringing people together.

A new sculpture with 23 pieces was unveiled on Friday in Medina along the Erie Canal. It’s close to the Big Apple sculpture on the north side of the canal, just east of the lift bridge on Route 63.

Lori Duckstein smiles after a ribbon-cutting and is thrilled with the new sculpture in memory of her daughter.

Lori Duckstein, Sydney’s mother, commended the UB students and their professors for bringing the sculpture to reality. They worked more than a year on it, including brainstorming sessions with Medina High School art students in Jen Scott’s classes.

“I’m happy with the execution of it,” Duckstein said on Friday, when she made her first visit to Medina. “We want kids to be outside and having fun.”

Sydney is from New Jersey near New York City. She never was in Medina. But she was always welcoming to others, looking to build connections. In that sense, Medina is the ideal location, her mother said.

She thanked the Medina community for accepting the sculpture in a prominent spot in the community.

“It’s in a beautiful town that’s along the canal,” Duckstein said. “It’s accessible.”

The UB students and their professors installed the pieces on Monday and Wednesday, using a forklift. The pieces are several hundred pounds to several thousand. They are arranged in clusters to create a furniture setting.

The arrangement is designed for recreation, reflection, and relaxation for anyone traveling on the canal or trail or as a local resident enjoying the canalside park.

Graduate students in the architecture program at the University of Buffalo met with Medina art students in Jennifer Scott’s class in this photo from February. The UB students met to discuss possibilities of a sculpture as a playground area with artistic elements. One idea shown in the photo called for a “forest of flutes” where people could make sounds and music from flutes. There would also be rocks or stone walls that could be used to make music, too. UB and medina students sketched out many ideas with the goal to not have a static sculpture but create something that would be experiential.

Medina High School Art Teacher Jen Scott said her students benefited from being part of the discussion and seeing the create process from the UB students and their professors.

“The creativity was palpable in the art room!” she exclaimed. “The graduate students from the Architecture Department at UB were engaging and collaborative while working with the high school students. It was exciting to see ideas flying as well as empowering to see the high school students offering their input.”

UB professors Joyce Hwang and Chris Romano also met with the Medina students, and so did Joana Pires Pacheco from the New York Power Authority. They helped the high school students understand the scope of the project commemorating Sydney Gross.

“Remembering and honoring her through this public art installation serves as a landmark that all community members in Medina can enjoy,” Scott said. “Whether students visit the installation for photos, boaters on the canal use it as a landmark, or community members picnic and play there, it will be a powerful public space that will be enjoyed for future generations.”

University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning professors Christopher Romano and Joyce Hwang were professors for Sydney Gross and led the students in creating the sculpture.

“She was a very social student who was connected to everyone,” Hwang said about Sydney. “She will be bringing people together in a new way.”

Romano said the project was very ambitious for 43 students that worked on the sculptures. They created the “curvaceous objects” that are sanded and shaped concrete with bent steel inside.

The 23 modules weigh 25,000 pounds. They also put in 26 tons of stone and sand for the site work about a month ago.

“They aren’t just for sitting,” Romano said about the sculptures. “It’s a conversation starter and a community builder. We hope it brings the public to the canal.”

The UB School of Architecture and Planning worked with the New York Power Authority, the Canal Corporation and Village of Medina officials on the project, as well as the Medina art students.

“It was a project that required us to connect with many people and bridge together many state agencies,” Hwang and Romano said. “In the end, the result is a project that has touched many people’s lives with the ambition to touch many more as they stop for a reflective moment along the Erie Canal.”

UB architecture students are excited and happy at the ribbon-cutting for the new sculptures.

New public art sculptures dedicated today, with more projects in the works

Photos by Tom Rivers: Brian Stratton, commissioner of the NYS Canal Corp. was in Medina today to celebrate the new public art sculptures by the canal between the Glenwood Avenue canal bridge and the lift bridge on Route 63. Stratton also announced several big projects are coming to Medina to better capitalize on the canal.

MEDINA – On a day when Medina celebrated a new public art sculpture by the Erie Canal, state officials announced several big projects are headed to the community to better capitalize on the canal and build on recent successes in Medina.

The new public art sculpture is a memorial to Sydney Gross, a New Jersey native who was a student in the UB School of Architecture and Planning. She was killed in a car accident in July 2009.

The memorial consists of 23 precast concrete modules, weighing anywhere from several hundred to several thousand pounds. The sculptures have bent steel inside to give them their shape.

People can rest or play on the sculptures, which are near the Big Apple sculpture created by Richard Bannister.

The new memorial is set on 26 tons of stone. UB students did the site work about a month ago. The 25,000 pounds of concrete pieces were installed on Monday and Wednesday with a forklift used to move them into place.

UB architecture students join Sydney Gross’s mother Lori Duckstein in celebrating the completion of a year-long project to design and build the sculpture. They met with Medina High School art students in Jen Scott’s classes to get their input last spring and in the fall. There were 43 UB architecture students involved in the project which was led by Christopher Romano and Joyce Hwang, faculty members in the UB School of Architecture and Planning.

• Several other major projects also were announced today for Medina. The state Canal Corp. and New York Power Authority will make repairs to the concrete wall on the northside of the canal near the waterfalls and Horan Road bridge.

• NYPA and the Canal Corp. also want to improve the view for the public to see the Medina waterfalls. That will definitely include better management of the vegetation by the waterfalls and could include an elevated platform. The project is in the planning stages, said Angelyn Chandler, vice president of planning at NYPA for Reimagine the Canals.

The north wall of the canal is shown near the Horan Road bridge. The wall will be repaired, the Canal Corp. and New York Power Authority announced today.

The state also want to give the public a better view of the Medina Waterfalls by the canal. Those waterfalls carry the Oak Orchard Creek through the Medina aqueduct under the canal.

Medina Mayor Mike Sidari said he is grateful for the new public art sculpture in Medina and the upcoming projects.

• The state announced the towpath trail will be upgraded from the lift bridge to the Bates Road bridge, which is about 1.5 miles.

The Rehabilitation of the Erie Canalway Trail & Empire State Trail from the Horan Road bridge to the Bates Road bridge will leverage a $411,495 Federal TAP Grant, the Canal Corp. and NYPA announced.

• J.J. Tighe, director of the Parks and Trails Initiative for the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, announced a $2.654 million grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to establish a vibrant public waterfront park that seamlessly links the gateways at the Medina lift bridge and Horan Road bridge to downtown Medina. It will create an accessible loop designed to unify the community around the Erie Canal.

Designed by City Architects of New York City, the initiative places a premium on recreational amenities for boaters and trail users, promoting a dynamic public space and enhancing the quality of life for residents.

“Our efforts in Medina reflect the goals of the Reimagine the Canals initiative – we are working collaboratively with local stakeholders to enhance and reenergize the Erie Canal so that it remains a vibrant driver of economic activity for decades to come,” said New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. “The initial art sculpture unveiled today, and the preliminary ideas being considered to improve the village’s connection to the canal, underscore NYPA and the Canal Corporation’s commitment to leveraging canal infrastructure as a way to encourage year-round visitation to our historic communities.”

• NYPA and the Canal Corp. also announced a major Art Triennial event to be held in Medina every three years with the first in 2025, the 200^th anniversary of the Erie Canal. The art event will be spread over weeks and months.

The large-scale art event includes support from the Hungerford family in Medina, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, NYS Council on the Arts, and institutional partners from Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery and the Buffalo AKG.

The groups are identify spaces to showcase the art, and work from emerging artist and established ones.

“For generations, Medina thrived as a canal port exporting sandstone to support construction projects around the world, and now this picturesque canalside village is evolving to rediscover itself as an emerging center for arts and culture in Western New York,” said Stratton, the canal commissioner. “By initiating the preliminary design work that will guide future projects that aim to improve and rehabilitate our infrastructure, the Canal Corporation is demonstrating its commitment to Medina, and we are building upon a great foundation already laid by the community.”

UB students and their professors climb on the sculptures for a group photo after a year of hard work on the project.