Photos by Ginny Kropf: Todd Ralph, left, was presented with the Chief’s Award by Andy Beach, chief of East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company, during their annual awards dinner Saturday night.

EAST SHELBY – The East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company may be one of the smallest in the county, having responded to the fewest calls, but that doesn’t diminish their importance in the community, Fire Chief Andy Beach said at the annual firemen’s banquet Saturday night.

Lifelong member David Green was emcee for the evening, who entertained fellow firefighters and their guests with his usual banter of jokes.

Welcomes were extended by Ladies Auxiliary president Shirley Printup and Fire Company president Mike Fuller. The Auxiliary accepted three new members this year and the Fire Company two.

A moment of silence was observed three Auxiliary members and one fireman who died during the year – Mildred Green, Jeanne Rechkahn Ralph, Cathy Balcerzak and Charles Allen.

In a special presentation, the family of the late David Culver gave the fire company a plaque on which to record the names of those chosen as Firefighter of the Year.

Members of the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company who are chosen Firefighters of the Year will be honored with their name on this plaque donated by the Culver family in memory of David Culver. Making the presentation to President Mike Fuller and Chief Andy Beach, right, during the fire company’s annual banquet Saturday night are David’s grandson Nicholas, widow Gail and son Dan (kneeling).

David’s widow Gail Culver, son Dan Culver and grandson Nicholas Culver wanted the fire company to have a proper place to permanently honor Firefighters of the Year. The fire company started choosing a firefighter for that honor in 1975 and David won it in 1976.

Newly elected president of the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company, Mike Fuller, right, recognized outgoing president Jackie Keller for her years of service during their annual banquet Saturday night.

Officers of the East Shelby Ladies Auxiliary were installed by Rosemary Pray from Shelby Ladies Auxiliary. Officers for 2019 are Shirley Printup, president; Bronwyn Green, vice president; Sawyer Green, secretary; Carol Lonnen, treasurer; Melissa Bonafede, Sharlene Pratt and Elaine Newton, trustees; and Rose Allen and Carol Lonnen, chaplains.

Printup commended Pray, 89, who has been a member of Shelby Firemen’s Ladies Auxiliary for 66 years.

Andy Benz, chief of Shelby Volunteer Fire Company, installed the East Shelby Fire Company officers. Administrative officers are Mike Fuller, president; Dan Culver, vice president; Karen Bracey, secretary; Allen Turner, treasurer; Ken Printup, Sharon Grimes, Gordon Reigle and Walter Dingman, trustees; and David Green, steward.

Line officers are Andy Beach, chief; Devin Taylor, 1st assistant chief; Deb Taylor, 2nd assistant chief; Dennis MacDonald, 3rd assistant chief; Jeff Taylor, captain; Julie Taylor, lieutenant; Laura Fields, fire police chief; and Sue Behrend and Mike Fuller, EMS officers.

Andy Benz said he was honored to be asked to install East Shelby’s officers.

“It shows how far our fire companies have come in past years,” he said, no doubt referring to the rift back in the 1950s when several Shelby members split and formed the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company.

Fuller and past president Jackie Keller announced Dan Culver as recipient of the President’s Award.

“It was an easy decision to choose this individual, because of his dedication to the fire company and high quality of service,” Fuller said.

Officers of the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company were sworn in Saturday night by Andy Benz, chief of Shelby Fire Company, during the annual awards dinner at East Shelby Fire Hall.

Fuller also present a plaque recognizing Keller for her service as president.

When it came to the fire chief’s award, Andy Beach said there were many deserving individuals, but after a lot of thinking, he named Debbie Taylor as “Firefighter of the Year.”

East Shelby Fire Chief Andy Beach presented his Fire Chief’s Award to Debbie Taylor.

“We have an outstanding line of officers on our team, but Debbie is always on top of things,” Beach said. “She reminds me of meetings and goes above and beyond. She even cleaned my office last week. She is available for calls day or night and is often the first person on the scene. I have no doubt that in a couple of years, Debbie will be the first female chief of the East Shelby Fire Company.”

Certificates were presented to members for years of service. Several had five and 10 years, with Mike Smith, Louise Covey and Wanda Dingman being recognized for 25 years. Bronwyn Green with 30 years and Mary Zelazny with 35 years also received citations from Senator Robert Ortt, Assemblyman Mike Norris and Michael Hicks, representing Congressman Chris Collins.

Beach announced the fire company had received a $150,000 grant through Ortt and a $20,000 grant from Rural Development to help with the purchase of a new pumper/tanker. Dan and Nicholas Culver worked on the $150,000 grant and Allen Turner worked to secure the $20,000.

While the money is taxpayer dollars, Ortt said he was privileged he was able to get some of it back for the community. He praised the firefighters, saying how much more difficult it is being a volunteer firefighter today, with all the required training hours, than it was 35 or 50 years ago.

The fire company hopes to have delivery of their new truck by the Orleans County 4-H Fair the end of July.

Mike Norris weighed in on the pending legislation in Albany banning gun raffles.

Dave Green gets a big hug from Sharlene Pratt after naming her as recipient of his Steward’s Award.

“This is the type of aggressive agenda coming out in New York state,” Norris said. “The folks in New York City don’t realize how these fire departments depend on gun raffles to fund their companies.”

Todd Ralph was presented with the Fire Chief’s award for volunteering to teach the OSHA refresher class each year.

“One thing I always dreaded was having to find a location and go and take the eight-hour class,” Beach said. “Then Todd said he was certified and could teach it in-house.”

Printup and Sawyer Green recognized Debbie Green for serving as secretary of the Auxiliary and then named her as “Auxiliary Member of the Year.”

Jessie Green was acknowledged as an outgoing trustee.

It is customary for the Auxiliary to present the firemen with a gift each year, and this year they decided on new tables for the dining hall. Fifty eight-foot plastic tables have been purchased, which will be much easier to move around, Printup said.

David Green made the final presentation of the evening, giving his Steward’s Award to Sharlene Pratt.

“She is continuous here helping us,” Green said.

Debbie Green, left, was chosen Auxiliary Member of the Year by Shirley Printup, president of the East Shelby Ladies Auxiliary, and vice president Bronwyn Green.

Bronwyn Green, left, vice president of East Shelby Ladies Auxiliary, and president Shirley Printup recognized Mary Zelazny for 35 years of membership.

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ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday to consider proposals from the Town of Shelby for regulating solar energy and also a law for regulating mobile food vehicles.

Local municipalities submit referrals to the County Planning Board, which offers its opinion, whether or not to recommend approval. If the county recommends against the proposal, towns and villages can override that negative opinion with a super-majority vote.

Besides the proposals for laws regulating solar energy and food trucks in Shelby, the County Planning Board will look at Kendall’s application to amend its comprehensive plan to rezone Peter Smith Road. That also will require a change to the town’s zoning map for Peter Smith Road.

In addition, the Planning Board will consider an amendment to Carlton’s zoning ordinance to establish a private airport through a special use permit in RR, WR, WD and B Districts.

The meeting Thursday is in Conference Room C at the County Administration Building at 14016 Route 31 West.

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Provided photo: Composer Steve Shewan of West Shelby recently won two national choral composition contests. Most recently, he flew to Minneapolis for the “Vocal Essence” premiere of his The Little Cradle Rocks Tonight.

WEST SHELBY – With a father who directed the Roberts Wesleyan Chorale for more than 30 years and his mother who conducted children’s choirs, Stephen Shewan comes by his musical talent naturally.

His father Robert once conducted the Orleans All-County Choir in Lyndonville, Shewan said.

His brother Paul is currently conductor of the Roberts Wesleyan Band and Choir and plays trumpet in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

“Music is a family trade,” Shewan said. “My whole life I knew I was going to do something with music.”

Shewan, who grew up in the Rochester area and now lives in West Shelby, got his bachelor of science in music education at Roberts Wesleyan, his master’s at Ithaca College with an emphasis in French horn and piano and a doctorate in composition at the Eastman School of Music. He is honored to recently win several prestigious awards for his chorale compositions.

One award was the 2018 first-place winner of the Edwin Fissinger Choral Composition at North Dakota State University’s Challey School of Music. The competition honors the legacy and traditions of noted choral composer and longtime NDSU choral conductor Edwin Fissinger.

Shewan won the award for his composition of “Mother Goose Gems” set to music.

He was inspired for the piece from a book of nursery rhymes he picked up at the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina.

“I wrote the six short movements for my mom, who was an elementary choral director,” Shewan said about his mother, who passed away in 2007.

On Dec. 1, Shewan flew to Minneapolis for the “Vocal Essence” premiere of The Little Cradle Rocks Tonight. In March he will travel to North Dakota to hear the North Dakota State University perform Mother Goose Gems, which will be published by Pavane Music Company as part of the Jo Ann Miller Choral Series.

Another of Shewan’s choral pieces, Silent Night, won the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay’s 2016 Christmas Carol Contest.

“I write a lot of Christmas music,” Shewan said.

The Genesee Chorale, under the direction of Ric Jones of Medina, has performed one of his pieces. Shewan just finished a piece for wind ensemble which premiered a week ago by the Williamsville East Wind Ensemble.

Shewan has also composed music for orchestra, string quartet, chamber ensembles, symphonic band, solo voice, choir and piano. His music has been performed by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Eastman Wind Ensemble, U.S. Army Strings, Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, Vrije Univeriteit Amsterdam Choir and numerous other musical groups across the United States, Europe and Australia.

His music has been broadcast on more than 200 radio stations in America.

Shewan continues to teach in Williamsville and said today’s kids are as nice as any.

“How fortunate I am to get paid to teach these kids a subject I love,” Shewan said.

He added he loves living in the country, having moved with his wife Ruth to the former Jay Brackett home when he got the job at Williamsville.

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SHELBY – Representatives from the Shelby Volunteer Fire Company today accepted a donation from Lyons Collision in Medina. Lyons donated new traffic cones and LED stop and slow signs that will be used by the fire police.

“It’s very helpful,” said Tim Petry, president of the Fire Company. “They will help at accident scenes.”

Pictured from left include: Scott Petry and Tim Petry of the Shelby Fire Company, and Kim Patterson and Jeff Lyons of Lyons Collision.

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ALBION – The Aldi grocery store on Maple Ridge Road in Medina is planning a 2,062-square-foot expansion on the front side of the building.

The Orleans County Planning Board on Thursday voted in favor of the site plan for the project at 11248 Maple Ridge Rd. The application goes to the Town of Shelby Planning Board for a final OK.

The store expansion will occur within the existing parking area and sidewalks, and will add more space for groceries and also backroom storage, the company said in its application. The current building is 16,567 square feet.

The company anticipates construction in April-May 2019.

The number of parking spaces will be reduced from 89 to 87, which is more than the town’s requirement of at least one for every 300 square feet of gross floor area, or a minimum of 62 for the expanded store.

In other action at Thursday’s County Planning Board meeting:

• The board recommended the Town of Barre approve an area variance, site plan and special use permit for a pole barn at 4627 Oak Orchard Rd., which is in the General Business District.

Susan Sherman of Pavilion will run a business, Rice’s Country Haven Modification, from the site.

Sherman also plans to replace an existing mobile home with a new one.

She needs a 40-foot front setback variance for the pole barn, so it would be 35 feet away from the road instead of 75 feet. The Planning Board said the variance is needed for the pole barn to be in an accessible area.

• Recommended the Town of Shelby approve the site plan and special use permit for a riding arena at 11205 West Shelby Rd. in the Agricultural/Residential District.

Haleigh Clarke has proposed a 9,800-square-foot building that would 140 by 70 feet.

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Provided photo

SHELBY – Some members of the Metro 10 race committee presented a check for $4,018 to the Warrior House, the largest donation from the Metro 10 since it started in 2015.

Pictured from left include Peter Zeliff, founder of the Warrior House; race director Thom Jennings and Warrior House volunteer; and race committee members Erin Smith and Wayne Litchfield.

Metro 10 hosted about 300 participants in Albion for the fourth annual race on Aug. 18, pitting runners from Rochester and Buffalo. This year’s event also included a biking component for the first time.

The race has now donated over $7,000 to the Warrior House in the past three years.

The Warrior House is a hunting retreat in West Shelby for wounded veterans. Zeliff donates use of a farmhouse and property on Salt Works Road for veterans. The site hosted six veterans this past weekend for a deer hunt.

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Photos courtesy of Eli Pask

EAST SHELBY – Eli Pask spent 15 months doing improvement projects at the East Shelby Cemetery on Trench Road.

Pask, 15, is a member of the Boy Scout Troop 175 in West Barre. He completed his Eagle service project last month. He needs to go before the Board of Review before he gets the Eagle.

Eli, a sophomore at Albion, has been in Scouts since early in elementary school. He works in the summer at Camp Sam Wood in Pike and Camp Dittmer in Phelps, teaching outdoor skills.

He attends the East Shelby Community Bible Church, where many members help with the cemetery near the church. Eli’s grandfather, Erik Olsen, is the church pastor. He suggested the cemetery could use some improvements.

Eli Pask, Jeff Andrews and other Scouts help reset gravestones that had toppled over. They needed to dig by the stones to level out the ground so they could be reset.

These gravestones from the 1830s didn’t have a concrete base. One of them was laying face up in the grass. Eli made the concrete bases and set in the gravestones.

“They deserved to be put back,” he said.

Kevin Feder, a middle school teacher, helped Eli with the roof and trim on a utility shed late in the summer 2017. Eli tore off the old shingles and put on new ones. He also added new trim boards. Eli has worked with Feder on the stage crew at the school musicals, helping with set construction.

“I told him what I was doing at the cemetery and he offered to help,” Eli said.

Eli put down a brick patio area and made two benches back to back out of concrete. It was a big project. He made the forms and poured in the concrete and then added the wooden slats. There are two large stone boulders nearby that Eli and his father Kevin Pask moved to the cemetery from a nearby field.

Eli sits on a bench at the cemetery. They were the last of his tasks over 15 months at the cemetery.

Eli said he will remain active in his troop in the coming years, helping younger scouts earn their merit badges.

“I enjoy it,” he said about scouting. “There is lots of support from everyone around me. It still has great values and I’ve enjoyed my journey thus far.”

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