KNOWLESVILLE – When the Orleans County 4-H Fair returns in late July, there will be a new stage and location for the popular karaoke, talent show, and other concerts.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension is using a stage grant to put an addition on the Curtis Pavilion which will include a stage, six dressing rooms and a sound booth.

The concrete has been poured a 2-foot-high wooden stage wooden epoxy will be added. The Extension currently has to pay about $2,000 each fair to rent a tent and stage.

Robert Gregoire, Tim’s Gregoire’s son, screws in metal wall sheeting on the addition.

The state in 2016  set aside $5 million to help county fairs with capital improvements. Orleans received about $96,000. The new stage and addition at the Curtis Pavilion is costing about $83,000. The grant also paid for electrical upgrades for campsites.

Tim Gregoire Construction of Holley is well ahead of schedule on the project. Gregoire has until July 1.

The project includes an electrical upgrade in the pavilion and the installation of stage lighting.

The new addition looks like a pole barn to blend in with most of the other barns at the fairgrounds.

Robert Batt, executive director of the Extension, said the site will also be used for agriculture education programs as an outdoor classroom. He also would like to see other concerts held at the Curtis Pavilion outside of the busy fair week.

Batt said the Extension has applied for another $96,000 state grant for fairgrounds improvements. The Extension wants to replace four or five wooden bleachers with new metal ones. The Extension also has applied to use part of the grant for new animal stalls, lighting upgrades and also a new “show plex” for animal shows.

Ayman Huzair, then 21, performs during the karaoke finals in July 2015. Huzair won the competition singing a medley of songs from Michael Montgomery, Bruno Mars and Cupid. The karaoke competition this July will be held on the new stage at the Curtis Pavilion.

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KNOWLESVILLE – A new electronic LED sign was turned on for the first time this morning at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

The Extension received a $4,535.75 grant to purchase and install the sign. The funding for the Extension was approved by the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority. The State Department of Agriculture and Markets provided the funding. It is part of nearly $600,000 for research, promotion, and development projects to strengthen New York State’s diverse agricultural industry and spur economic growth across the state, according to Richard Ball, the State agriculture commissioner, who announced the funding in March.

Robert Batt, the Cooperative Extension executive director, said the new sign will allow the Extension to promote several events at the fairgrounds. The previous sign, with letters that had to be set by hand, only listed one event.

Howard Watts, the facility coordinator for the Extension, and Robert Batt, Extension executive director, are pictured with the new sign. Some additional work will be done on the frame.

“Before we could only highlight one thing,” Batt said. “Now we can highlight 4 or 5 things.”

He also wants the sign to include some agriculture facts.

Howard Watts, the facility coordinator for the Extension, had the frame ready last week. He worked on the electric this morning, and the sign went live for the first time at about 11 a.m.

This photo from July 2013 shows Extension Director Robert Batt, who was then the president of the Fair Board, and Kerri Richardson, who was then community educator for the Cornell Cooperative Extension, gearing up for 4-H Fair in Knowlesville. A new digital sign will allow the organization to list more events.

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Doug Egling

Two adults were also honored for their service to children.

Doug Egling received the Helen R. Brinsmaid Professional Award, which is given to a piad professional who works with youth.

Egling is a caseworker for the Orleans County Department of Social Services. He is assigned to Albion middle and high schools. He supervises some children who are classified as PINS (Persons in Need of Supervision), and also does preventive and foster care cases.

Egling is musically talented and has found instruments for children to play, and will take them to concerts. He goes above and beyond to connect with children, said Carrie O’Neill, coordinator of the PINS program or juvenile adjustment services for Orleans County’s probation department.

“Doug is truly a genuine person who has a heart of gold and would truly do anything for anyone in need,” O’Neill said.

Egling has worked for the county the past 10 years, with six years as a caseworker assistant and the past four years as a caseworker. Prior to that he worked 16 years for The Arc of Orleans County.

Egling said he is part of team of caseworkers and other professionals who determined to find solutions for kids who are often in crisis.

“I like being a member of that team,” Egling said. “The caseworkers and CPS workers are my heroes.”

Egling urged the community to be more open to reaching out to young people, especially those whose families have broken down.

“It’s neighbor to neighbor,” he said.

Emily Bibby of Holley was recognized as a behind-the-scenes leader. She is active in the Interact Club and has coordinated several projects for the service organization. Jocelyn Sikorski, director of the Youth Bureau, is at left.

Sal DeLuca of Holley received the Eileen Heye Adult Volunteer Award for his 30 years of volunteer service to Holley youth. DeLuca has been a long-time soccer, baseball and track coach.

Sal DeLuca

He is currently president of the Holley Sports Boosters Club. He sends many hours at the Woodlands field concession stand, working the grill and refilling the cooler with water, Gatorade and soda.

Penny Cole of Holley nominated DeLuca for the award. She said she pays for many meals for students who show up to the stand hungry.

He also mows the grass at the Woodlands Soccer Complex and fixes many things that need maintenance.

DeLuca served on the Holley Board of Education for six years and was influential in the recent capital projects on the campus.

“Sal truly cares about every student in the Holley community and does his best to make sure they have the best education and are the most well-rounded students out there,” Cole said.

DeLuca said he enjoys seeing students happy.

“It’s the smile,” he said. “That’s the bottom line. I just like to do it.”

Jessica Sedore of Holley is a positive presence in the school. She is a role model for her classmates, and pushes others to try their best.

The following young people were recognized for their outstanding service in the community and/or family: Emily Bibby, Jeremy Browe, Cody Crane, Hannah Duhow, Christian Hahn, Michela Hanlon, Carrie Janas, Emma Lonnen, Alexis Penna, Reese Raduns, Jessica Sedore, Riley Seielstad, Salvador Solis and Kaitlin Zwifka.

The students serve in different ways, from volunteering in a Pre-K classroom to serving as an athlete buddy in the Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged. They have all been selfless in serving others.

Cody Crane of Medina accepts a “Youth Recognition Award.” He planned, organized and was a presenter at a public forum on Jan. 30 about the stigma of opioid addiction.

Dr. Daniel Doctor, Medina Central School’s director of community outreach, served as keynote speaker. He urged the youth to continue serving others. He said they need to use their talents to better the world.

“The young people sitting here tonight have done something with their talents,” Doctor said. “Share it and don’t bury it. Because if it’s under something, the world can’t see your talents.”

Dr. Dan Doctor, director of community outreach for Medina Central School, was keynote speaker at the banquet.

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KNOWLESVILLE – Three senior citizens in Orleans County were honored on Thursday for their commitment to community service in retirement.

The Orleans County Office for the Aging held its annual Spring Jubilee program to celebrate “Older Americans Month.” About 200 seniors attended the program at the Trolley Building of the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

The OFA accepted nominations for outstanding seniors from the community. An advisory council then picked the two seniors who would represent the county in Albany during an awards program on May 22.

Florence Surdi, 88, volunteers with Hospice of Orleans, the American Red Cross, Office for the Aging, Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern and Holy Family Parish.

Surdi worked five years at Kodak before going back to school to earn a nursing degree. She worked in many doctors’ offices in a 35-year career.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley thanks the seniors for their many years of service to the community.

Surdi has been a very active volunteer the past 12 years, and is a past winner of Hospice’s “Volunteer of the Year.” At Hospice, she provides companionship to terminally ill patients. She also helps with the administrative office at Hospice.

“Florence calmly and efficiently handles any task she is given,” the nominator wrote about Surdi.

At the OFA she assists with the newsletter and a volunteer driver. As a driver, she took an elderly man to visit his wife in a nursing home for five years.

She also helps the American Red Cross during blood drives. When the Ministry of Concern needs to assemble a mailing, Surdi can be counted on.

At Holy Family Parish, she is active with two charitable organizations, the Ladies of Charity and Catholic Daughters.

“Mrs. Surdi always serves the community with a giving and open heart,” the nominator wrote. “She brings her compassion for others and a fabulous sense of humor to her volunteer work.”

Surdi encouraged more seniors to volunteer, saying she has made many friends in the community through serving the different organizations.

“You will find while volunteering it doesn’t seem like working at all,” she said. “It’s very interesting, you learn a lot, and besides that, it’s fun.”

Don Snyder of Albion was recognized Thursday for his community service as a senior citizen.

Don Snyder has been very busy in retirement, helping church leaders respond to the opioid crisis in Orleans County. Snyder, who is retired as a chaplain in the state correction system, was nominated for the senior citizen award by Sheriff Randy Bower.

Snyder was instrumental in setting up the Sheriffs CARE (Community Addiction Rehabilitation Education) as well as an on-call chaplains’ team. He has been active in helping the community establish an addiction recovery program and is a trained recovery coach.

For the past two years he has been a member of the Genesee Orleans Wyoming Opioid Task Force meetings. He also serves on the Orleans County Mental Health Service Board, which oversees delivery of mental health services in the community.

He also is a board member for the Oak Orchard Assembly of God in Medina, the Grace House in Buffalo/Saving Grace Ministries, and From the Inside Out Ministries.

Snyder also volunteers with the American Red Cross’s Disaster Action Team, responding when people are made homeless, and he participates in Pastors Aligned for Community Transformation.

“With our ever growing opiate epidemic, many times hand in hand with mental illness, Don has volunteered his time as well as getting others involved to assist our community to educate and rehabilitate those struggling,” Bower said.

Snyder said people need to be involved in community issues, especially when they are a resource or can connect people to resources for help.

Patricia Cammarata of Albion receives certificates of commendation for her volunteer service.

Snyder and Surdi will both be recognized in Albany for their volunteer work. Patricia Cammarata also was recognized during the Senior Jubilee on Thursday.

Cammarata worked as a licensed master social worker in children’s mental health. She volunteers with the Catholic Charities Friendly Phones Program, and has been a trustee on the Swan Library Board of Trustees and a member of the Albion Historic Preservation Commission.

She was nominated for the award by Catholic Charities.

“She has happily and consistently made calls or visits to socially isolated elders in our community,” the nominator said. “She has provided friendship and empathy in each relationship, improving the lives of our members significantly.”

The Albion High School Women’s and Men’s Select Chorus performed several songs for the seniors. The group has about 40 members and is led by director Gary Simboli.

Sophia Zambito has a solo in “Draw the Circle Wide.”

Arella Ives also was a featured soloist in the “Draw the Circle Wide.”

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