The stretch of unseasonably warm weather continues this week.

Today is forecast for a high of 56, followed by 66 on Tuesday and 75 on Wednesday.

On Thursday, which is Halloween, the temperature will reach 76, and then drop to a high of 50 on Friday, and 52 on Saturday.

Mount Albion is in its fall foliage glory right now.

SHELBY – The grave of a Revolutionary War soldier buried in Maple Ridge Cemetery was the scene of a special ceremony on Saturday to place a historic marker at the site.

James Walker of Pontiac, Mich. discovered the location of his fourth-generation grandfather Benjamin Darling’s grave while researching his family ancestry. Walker said he became interested in his family history in 2012.

“During the years of raising kids and putting family first, I didn’t have time,” Walker said.  “But in 2012, I started researching in full force.”

Since then, he and his wife Marta have traveled all over the world visiting sites associated with his ancestors, including London, where they visited Windsor Castle, where one of his relatives who was a knight had a stall in St. George Chapel there.

James Walker of Pontiac, Mich. talks about how he discovered the grave of his fourth-generation grandfather Benjamin Darling, buried in Maple Ridge Cemetery. A ceremony by the Rochester Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution celebrated the placing of a marker at the gravesite on Saturday.

While doing his research, Walker discovered Darling was buried in Maple Ridge Cemetery, just west of Millville, and he also discovered there were nearly a dozen Benjamin Darlings. He explained how he verified this was actually his relative.

He said this Benjamin was married twice and had several children by his first wife and 11 by his second wife, Susannah, who is buried beside him. Records indicate the Darling’s son Oliver was deaf, and Walker found evidence that when this Benjamin went to apply for his pension, he listed his children, with the note that son Oliver was “entirely deaf.”

“So I knew I had the right Benjamin Darling,” Walker said.

Then he contacted the Rochester Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Family, friends and members of the Sons of the American Revolution chapters from Rochester and Buffalo, as well as local DAR members,  gather around the grave of Revolutionary War soldier Benjamin Darling, after placing a marker on his grave in Maple Ridge Cemetery.

SAR president Brent Downing was eager to get the call and started arranging for a special ceremony to install a marker at the grave. At 1 p.m. Saturday, a contingent of SAR members, all dressed in authentic Revolutionary War uniforms and some carrying muskets, arrived at the cemetery.

“All of us hold these patriots dear to our hearts,” Downing said. “We remember the sacrifice and service of these gentlemen, without whom we wouldn’t have what we have today. I am so honored to be able to do this for him.”

Walker and Marta made the trip from Michigan to witness the dedication, during which Walker explained his research, and the SAR fired a musket salute, followed by playing of Taps.

(Left) Andrew Pierce from the Buffalo Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution and Robert Fuller from the Rochester Chapter attended the ceremony Saturday at Maple Ridge Cemetery to place a marker on the grave of Revolutionary War soldier Benjamin Darling. (Right) James Walker stands with his wife Marta, who holds his fourth-generation grandfather’s certificate of service in the Revolutionary War. The Walkers traveled to the Maple Ridge Road Cemetery for dedication of a marker on Benjamin Darling’s grave.

Darling was born July 6, 1758 in Lunenburg, Worcester County, Mass. He served with the 7th Connecticut Regiment and saw action at the Battle of Monmouth, N.J. and Germantown, Pa., before his regiment moved to Valley Forge, where they spent the cold winter of 1777. He died Feb. 7, 1841 at the age of 82.

Walker doesn’t know where Darling lived, other than it was in the town of Shelby. He expects Darling was a farmer.

Walker is vice president of the Oakes Chapter of the SAR in Pontiac, of which he has been a member for 10 years.

Also attending the event were several members from the Buffalo Chapter of the SAR, and local DAR members, including Sharon Schnieder, Orleans Chapter DAR Regent.

Shelby highway superintendent Dale Root also attended the ceremony, and was told by Downing he had never seen an old cemetery is such good shape. Root said they keep it mowed and he has plans to keep the sumac out and make it look even better.

(Left) Sharon Schnieder, Orleans Chapter DAR Regent, shakes hands with James Walker of Pontiac, Mich.(Right) Brent Downing, president of the Rochester Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution, left, stands with James Walker, right, before the ceremony in Maple Ridge Cemetery on Saturday dedicating a marker on the grave of Walker’s fourth-generation grandfather, who served in the Revolutionary War.

Dr. Jane van Dis

ALBION – An assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Rochester, Dr. Jane van Dis, will be welcomed to the Hoag Library on Nov. 7, where she will speak on the toxicity of plastics.

Dr. van Dis was invited to Albion at the suggestion of Sister Dolores O’Dowd, who two years ago founded Go Green Orleans with several supporters who were interested in climate change and believe everyday people can influence sustainability of the earth.

Go Green Orleans is a group of community members who recognize the need to protect the environment. They believe the world faces severe environmental challenges, including climate change, loss of biodiversity and resource depletion. These challenges impact our daily lives from extreme weather events and health concerns to the loss of natural beauty, said Tom Robinson of Medina, a member of the group.

“It’s time to recognize the relevance of sustainability in our own experiences,” he said.

Dr. van Dis’ speech will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Curtis Room. The event is free and refreshments will be served.

van Dis has lectured nationally and internationally on the intersection of the climate and plastic crisis and women’s and maternal health. She is the co-founder of OBGYN’s for Sustainable Future, an interest group of Healthcare Without Harm.  She has published in academic journals on the climate crisis and women’s health, Robinson said. She is also on TikTok, where she addresses plastics, pollution and women’s/maternal health and creates short educational videos.

Her talk at Hoag Library will address the health complications from plastics exposure, in addition to ways to mitigate or lessen exposure to toxic substances found in everyday items.

“This is a realization of ‘coming home,” Sister O’Dowd said. “There is a connection between us and the earth and we should be taking care of it. We believe there are things that everyday people can do.”

She said the biggest contributor to our earth’s pollution is plastics. They are so prolific and made from fossil fuels, she said.

“This lecture isn’t just for women or pregnant women,” Robinson said. “It pertains to people of all ages, and all are encouraged to attend.”

Green Orleans meets at 11:30 a.m. every third Thursday of the month at Hoag Library to discuss ideas and initiatives. Sister O’Dowd felt the doctor’s message would be good to share with the Orleans County community.

Provided photo

The Point Breeze Yacht Club held its annual members’ meeting and Election of Officers at Godfreys Pond on Saturday. Boaters interested in membership may find information at PBYCNY.com.

Elected Officers in photo, from left, include: Bob Bialkowski, Commodore; Bob Turk, Vice Commodore; Madeline Bialkowski, Treasurer; Marietta Schuth, Secretary; Kevin Tiffany, Port Captain; and Emrys March, Rear Commodore.

Young men left for boot camp, and then overseas in World War II

Advertisement from the Brockport-Republic newspaper, Oct. 24, 1935.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 4, Number 33

(Adrienne Daniels, Town of Barre Historian, supplied the information for this week’s column.)

BARRE – We walked into a place that was built like a small barn. Rustic and smelling of new wood, one end had a platform for the small band that played there Saturdays and Sundays from 8-12:30. The other end had a snack bar and a cloakroom and in the center was a shining dance floor, smooth as glass.

We fox-trotted to the haunting strains of Sugar Blues and Blueberry Hill, we waltzed to Deep Purple and Night and Day, boogied to Boogie Wugle Bugle Boy and did the polka to the Beer Barrel Polka. We jitterbugged to Stompin’ at the Savoy and stood around the band and sang Three Little Fishies.

The dancing started with the song Blue Moon and ended with Goodnight, Sweetheart and then, Blue Moon.

The young couple who ran the place were strict – no alcohol, no couples parking in cars on the premises.

Every week, there were new boys who came to the Blue Moon. On the way home, all we talked about was boys! We could hardly wait for the week to go by, we were having such a wonderful time.

And then it happened. Pearl Harbor.

As the months rolled along, one by one, the young men we danced with were called into the service. The dance hall began to look empty and somber.

Now there were letters written posted on the Blue Moon bulletin board, first from boot camps located in different states, then later, letters from overseas – England and Italy and much later, V mail from Germany, France and places we had never heard of, such as Iwo Jima and Okinawa. All saying how much they missed home and asking us to write.

Oftentimes, when I hear the song Blue Moon on the radio or T.V., I see myself as young again, dancing with someone on a crowded floor with other couples. I wonder if others who went to the Blue Moon are thinking of the good times, too, when they hear that song”

This lovely recollection of memories of the Blue Moon Danceland, located “two miles east of Barre Center” was written by Elizabeth Hurysz and published in the Democrat and Chronicle in 1991.

The dancehall closed in the 1940s but the building had another reincarnation. In 1947, Barre residents Norm Anderson and Harold Morton, two young men recently returned from the service, bought the dancehall building, cut it in half and had the halves moved to sites on the East Barre Road where they formed the basis of two fine homes. If those walls could talk!

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Alma de México does a folkloric dance on Saturday during a Day of the Dead celebration at the Orleans County YMCA.

The event was co-sponsored by GO Art!, the YMCA, Mariachi de Oro Mexican Grill, and Maizal Mexican Kitchen.

There were 325 people at the event in the first two hours of the four-hour celebration. They were on pace of surpassing last year’s record crowd of 425 for the event.

Carys Dumitrescu of Penfield gets her face painted by Dan Butler, an artist from Perry.

There were at least four artists doing face painting. There also were Mexican crafts, dance and music performances, ofrenda displays, and food tastings.

An ofrenda was created by Lionel Rosario and his wife Delores Alvarado, and the display drew many onlookers.

The Mexican Day of the Dead Celebration (Mexican Día de los Muertos) is a time of joyful remembrance of deceased loved ones, filled with an array of colors, scents, sounds and stories, said Karen Canning, director of GLOW Traditions at GO Art!

An ofrenda is an altar that is typically in homes. The altars welcome returning souls and feature candles, wild marigolds, incense, photographs, mementos and loved ones’ favorite foods like fruit, tortillas, tamales, chocolate and bread.

There was also a community ofrenda where people could place a an electric candle and write a remembrance of loved ones.

Many people wrote notes remembering their loved ones.

Mary Lou Tuohey and her daughter Nicole of Caee-Nic Cookies made these frosted cookies for the Day of the Dead. The skulls are used to honor the dead.

Other hosts and volunteers came from Della’s Chocolates, The Downtown Browsery, Oak Orchard Girl Scouts, Orleans Head Start, and Medina High School students. Canalside Tattoos offered temporary tattoos. Las Toxicas had Mexican jewelry and clothing. Candy Creations Facepaint of Medina hosted face painting, and Mariachi de Oro will provided samples of Mexican hot chocolate and pan de muerto (bread of the dead), a typical food of the holiday. Maizal Mexican Kitchen had several items for sale, including tamales, fruit with tajin, and snacks.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Ernestine Freeman (right), a resident at The Village of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion, passes out treats to Tristan Streams of Lyndonville, who is followed by his mother, Mercedes Streams.

Tristan’s grandmother, Alex Powley, is the assistant director of nursing at The Villages.

The site put on its first “Haunted Hallway” this evening and will do it again on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m.

A scary character jumps from behind the back of The Villages transport van. The vehicle had fake blood smeared on it. The Haunted hallway starts at the back of the nursing home on Route 31.

Meghan Clark, the activities director at The Village, welcomes people into the Haunted Hallway.

Proceeds from the event go to the activities fund. There were four residents as “scarers” on the hallway and five others passing out candy.

The hallway had red lights, big spider webs and some ghoulish characters.

Rhiannon Farrell, an activities aide, dressed up as a witch for the “Haunted Hallway.”

Margaret Thorne, right, and Eloise Hagibes, left, pass out candy to some of the children and their families.

“I love seeing all the kids,” Hagibes said.

Thorne said she has always enjoyed Halloween, and recalled giving out candy at the Clarendon Fire Hall with her husband and Clarendon firefighters.

Thorne is greeting Natalia Norton and her daughter Delphina White.

A good-size crowd walks the hallway soon after the event started at 6 p.m.

LYNDONVILLE – Matt Burch started as a short-order cook at age 14. He worked throughout high school with his mother, Sandy Burger, who was manager of the Sportsman’s Club in Tonawanda.

At 19, Burch started working in masonry and he did that until 28. He had aching knees, from a torn ACL in high school and later blew out a knee playing basketball.

He saw an opportunity to open a pizzeria in Gasport in 2008. Burch has been known by his nickname of “Chops” since he was a kid. He decided to name the pizzeria “Chop’s” and it has been very popular. He expanded the menu and added a bar in 2017.

Burch was presented with an opportunity to open a second Chop’s in Lyndonville at the former Curly’s Lyndonville Hotel. Burch decided to do it, feeling confident in a strong team of employees, including kitchen manager D.J. Davis and bar manager Emily Allan.

Matt Burch and D.J. Davis, the kitchen manager, are shown looking through the takeout window.

He also praised the local employees, including many high schoolers. Chop’s has 22 employees in Lyndonville and about 35 in Gasport.

Chop’s serves pizza, and an expanded menu with burgers, sliders, wraps, stromboli, fish dinners, salads, chicken wings and subs.

The interior has been repainted, and Burch added a new pickup window inside that is separate from the bar. He put in a new bartop, and cabinets on the radiators.

He wants to offer a cozy place for people to enjoy a meal and a drink. Earlier this week many visiting fishermen were inside with some playing a game of pool.

Emily Allan, the bar manager, said the community has embraced Chop’s in Lyndonville. She has worked for Chop’s for four years, starting at the Gasport location.

She helps line up musicians for Lyndonville. The site wants to host more bands.

“I love the people and just being here with the customers,’ she said. “It’s fun to see everyone having a good time.”

For more information on Chops, click here.

Chop’s Shop Bar and Grill North in Lyndonville opened April 22 at the former Curly’s, which was open for 16 years.

Provided photos

There were hundreds of costumed characters walking in Albion and Medina’s downtowns on Friday evening for Beggar’s Nite. These three are dressed for the occasion in Medina. From left include Byron Hill as Colonel Sanders, Joshua Hill as Paw Patrol’s Rubble and Tucker Graton as a dinosaur.

Orleans Hub asked readers to submit photos and we received many.

Provided photo: Albion eighth-graders Mary McCormick (left) and Kendall Peruzzini are shown at last month’s Orleans County legislature meeting with their teacher Tim Archer.

ALBION – The  Department of Veterans Affairs approved an application for a headstone for a Civil War solider with an unmarked grave at the Alms House Cemetery on West Countyhouse Road.

The headstone is expected to be delivered in a  few weeks, Albion school officials said.

Albion eighth-graders Mary McCormick and Kendall Peruzzini spent part of their summer vacation working on the application to the VA. They scoured records from more than a century ago, working with Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper at Albion Town Historian Sarah Basinait.

They needed to prove Union soldier Daniel Walterhouse was buried in an unmarked grave at the cemetery about 114 years ago. Many people were buried in a cemetery not far from the Alms House, which was a home for penniless, destitute, sick and others with infirmities and challenges.

The Alms or “Poor House” was open from 1833 to 1960. The Alms House closed in 1960 when the county nursing home opened on Route 31 in Albion.

Peruzzini, McCormick and their teacher Tim Archer submitted an application to the National Cemetery Administration, seeking a headstone for Walterhouse.

The students’ effort has been highlighted in local and Western New York media, and today was featured in The Washington Post, in an article headlined, “A Civil War soldier didn’t have a tombstone. Two teens just got him one.” Click here to see that article.

Artist paints agricultural, fair scenes to celebrate community

Provided photos

KNOWLESVILLE – Stacey Kirby Steward completed painting a fiber-glass ox statue that she started working on during the Orleans County 4-H Fair in late July. Steward painted an agricultural scene during the fair.

This week she finished a side of the ox celebrating the fair. She painted a Ferris wheel, a 4-H’er showing livestock with a giant American flag in the background. She also painted fair food, and a 4-H clover.

Stacey Kirby Steward has been painting large-scale murals locally for about 20 years. This was her first time doing a three-dimensional painting.

The ox will keep its home at the fairgrounds, but also is expected to be featured in events to help promote Orleans County Bicentennial in 2025. The ox could make an appearance in Medina’s Parade of Lights on Nov. 30.

The Bicentennial Committee would like to have more painted oxen to celebrate the bicentennial next year. The Town of Clarendon already has purchased an oxen statue to have it painted. Other organizations are considering one as well.

This side of the ox shows a pair of oxen helping a farmer work the land. Oxen were critical in helping pioneers clear land and establish farms in the pioneer settler era. Steward also painted apples and corn on this side to celebrate the county’s agricultural heritage.

Provided photo: Village trustees Tim McMurray, left, and Greg Bennett present a “Community Service Award” to Becky Karls during Wednesday’s Village Board meeting.

ALBION – Becky Karls has been a key force in making many community events a success, especially the annual Strawberry Festival. Karls has been on the festival committee for many years. She stepped up as the committee chairperson last year.

She runs a car show at Bullard Park in September that typically raises at least $2,000 for Hospice of Orleans County.

She also helps plan a golf tournament for the Albion Rotary Club, with proceeds from the July event going to the Office for the Aging and Job Development Agency.

Karls also helps with other events in Albion. She brings lots of energy and follow-through.

The Albion Village Board on Wednesday presented her with a “Community Service Award.” The board has been recognizing residents with the awards every three months.

“The Village of Albion presents this award in acknowledgement of your commitment to serving others and your community,” according to the certificate signed by Mayor Angel Javier Jr.

The Medina and Albion business districts welcome children to dress in costume and receive candy and treats for the annual Beggar’s Night this evening.

Both downtown business districts will likely see several hundred kids dressed as super heroes, goblins and other characters.

Albion has moved up the starting time from 6 to 5 p.m. Participants are encouraged to start at 25 South Platt St. (the Albion Free Methodist Church) and then begin a downtown tour for treats.

In Medina, the event runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Children should line up in the parking lot between the Medicine Shoppe and The Print Shop on East Center Street.