By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 September 2019 at 8:33 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
KENDALL — Oak Orchard Health held its first farm-to-table dinner on Saturday with 150 people attending the event at Partyka Farms.
Proceeds from the first-time fundraiser, called Rootstock, will go towards Oak Orchard’s new health and wellness center that is opening in Albion next month at the former OTB, next to Oak Orchard’s doctor’s offices at 301 West Ave.
The new center will offer behavior health (mental health), alternative pain therapy and substance abuse.
Mary Ann Pettibon, Oak Orchard Health chief executive officer, was pleased with the event, and expects it will be back next year.
Staff from The Farmer’s Table in Hamlin, which is owned by the Partyka family, prepared the meal, led by chef Guy Warren. This photo shows Bob Ryan, a friend of the family, scooping ice cream on the baked fruit desserts.
The dinner buffet included beef tenderloin, chicken saltimbocca, gourmet pasta and cheese, smashed potatoes, mixed vegetables and roasted corn on the cob from the farm.
Chris Wilson provided music during the dessert time.
Oak Orchard shared testimonials during the dinner from doctors who serve Oak Orchard’s 22,000 patients at sites in Albion, Lyndonville, Brockport, Warsaw and Hornell.
The display at the dinner included cards showing milestone events in Oak Orchard’s history, including its founding in 1966 in Albion. Oak Orchard initially was focused on provided healthcare and services for farmworkers. Oak Orchard has expanded many times since it started. Farmworkers remain an important focus of the organization’s mission, with Oak Orchard serving about 1,500.
Oak Orchard serves the general population, including many people without insurance or who are underinsured. The organization also provides dental and eye care, and has a mobile dental unit that goes to local school districts.
Oak Orchard Health in 1991 built a new site at 301 West Ave.
Lora Partyka helps scoop ice cream for the desserts during the dinner. The family was happy to host the big event. The field for the dinner was next to Partyka’s Farm Market on Monroe-Orleans Countyline Road. The farm has two kitchens which were used to cook the meals.
The field for the dinner was in an apple orchard.
Oak Orchard Health presented an award to Lora’s husband, Jeff, who served on the OOH board of directors for several years.
Adam Krenning, who led Albion’s FFA and agriculture program for about 20 years, also was recognized with an Agricultural Connection Award during the event.
Jerry Archibald brought these five classic cars to add to the ambiance to the farm-to-table dinner at Partyka Farms. Archibald works with Oak Orchard Health through his job as a partner and CPA with the Bonadio Group.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 September 2019 at 6:16 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
GAINES – Scott Galliford of Brockport set up a spot today to show timber framing by the cobblestone schoolhouse, built in 1849. Galliford was one of several artisans during the annual Old Timer’s Day that showcases historic trades at the Cobblestone Museum.
Fred Dean, a recent graduate at Brockport State College and an intern at the museum, was in the print shop with a Gordon Press. The shop was built in 1875. It used to be in Medina, but was moved to the museum grounds on Route 98 in 1977.
Dean printed out these papers to highlight the museum.
The spot on Route 98 in front of Farmer’s Hall, print shop and harness shop was used to showcase Civil War era knives, firearms, swords and bayonets.
Maarit Vaga, a museum volunteer in the blacksmith shop, shows Evan Coolidge, 6, of Bergen some of the tools of the trade.
Lori Laine holds a rock she painted of a cobblestone house. Laine is one of the leaders of the Albion Rocks group. They worked with children to paint rocks today.
The museum also served 250 chicken barbecue dinners.
Press Release and photo from Master Gardeners of Orleans County
KNOWLESVILLE – Master Gardeners of Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension are hosting their annual Plant Sale today from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
The sale has several beautiful perennial plants donated by community members, volunteers, as well as local nurseries such as Cottage Gardens and Sara’s Garden Center.
Master Gardener volunteers are on hand to offer growing advice or to answer gardening questions. There will be small tool sharpening offered from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
And two Fall Education classes will be offered concurrently. “Putting Your Garden to Bed” will be at 9:30 a.m. and will offer tips and insights into how to manage your garden at the end of the season. “Soil Health for Gardeners” is at 10:30 a.m. and will teach the basics of soil health to get optimal garden growth.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 September 2019 at 8:58 am
Matt Ballard shares stories of ‘Murder & Mayhem’ from Albion’s past
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Friday night’s tour of downtown Albion, with Orleans County Historian Matthew Ballard, drew a crowd of about 200 people for the “Murder & Mayhem Tour.” Ballard shared stories of high-profile crimes from the community’s past, and some other curious happenings.
Ballard leads summer tours of Mount Albion Cemetery. This was his first time doing a night-time tour of the downtown. He was surprised to see such a big turnout.
Ballard will do another “Murder & Mayhem Tour” today at 8 p.m., starting at Tinsel, just north of the Erie Canal.
He is shown standing on a flower planter in front of the Citizens National Bank (now the Albion Visitor’s Center) at 121 North Main St.
The Citizens National Bank used to be the First National Bank of Albion. Ballard told how Albert Warner stole about $40,000 from the bank and then fled to Canada.
He was rumored to have returned to Albion briefly, when he dressed as a woman to attend his father’s funeral at Mount Albion.
Ballard is shown speaking on the Courthouse lawn. He told about Albion leaders ploy in deceiving state officials to naming Albion the county seat, over Gaines, which was more developed in the 1820s due to the well-travelled Ridge Road.
Philetus Bumpus and Nehemiah Ingersoll led the push for Albion to become the county seat. They concocted a plan to have Sandy Creek dammed just before the state commissioners were in town. The water was then released to make it appear Sandy Creek was a much stronger stream.
What appeared to be a powerful stream was influential in swaying the commissioners to pick Albion over Gaines. Ingersoll would later donate land for the courthouse to be built.
The group stopped in front of the Post Office on Main Street, where Ballard told of the murder of Pierpont Dyer.
He also highlighted the murder of Alice Wilson by her husband George. He was executed in 1888 in a stockade near where the current county jail is located. That execution was the last one in Orleans County.
Michelle Diaz, a member of Body by Summer Torrance in Brockport, was among a group of dancers who dressed as zombies and danced to “Thriller” by Michael Jackson on Main Street near Beaver Alley. It was a surprise on the tour.
The “Murder & Mayhem Tour” is part of the Orleans County Heritage Festival, which continues with events through Sunday.
Other activities this weekend include:
Saturday, Sept. 14
• 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Old Timer’s Fair at the Cobblestone Museum: The Cobblestone Museum will come alive with artisans and re-enactors as we recreate the feel of Orleans County life in the 19th century. A chicken BBQ is available for dining or take-out.
Sunday, Sept. 15
• 1 p.m. – Medina Sandstone Society’s Hall of Fame, City Hall, 590 Main St., Medina: Established in 2013, the Hall of Fame is a display of informational plaques of sandstone structures in NY & PA that have been deemed worthy of inclusion in the Sandstone Hall of Fame. Free admission.
• 4:30 p.m. – Concert at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Medina: A concert featuring soloist, Patricia L. Worrad, Soprano with songs of years past at the church built in the middle of the street as stated in “Ripley’s Believe it or Not”. St. John’s church is built of Medina Sandstone and home of the oldest church congregation in the county.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 September 2019 at 3:54 pm
Fred Miller has owned the store for 33 years
ALBION – A downtown mainstay, Family Hardware, will soon be closing. Fred Miller has owned the store the past 33 years, and worked there for five years before buying it.
An ad posted on the Orleans Hub this morning informed the community the store was closing, with a 30 percent off sale next week. Miller will be selling the inventory, and then he expects there will be an auction to sell the shelves and fixtures.
The store was once a bustling place, with customers lined up before the doors opened at 8 a.m., Miller recalled today.
He once had 8 to 10 employees. On a typical day he would make 50 keys for customers.
Miller, 65, has been running the place mostly by himself in recent years. He is often joined by his dog, Max, a German Shepherd.
“It was a wonderful past,” Miller said today.
He was thankful for the 38 years in the business, for the chance to get to know many community members. His children grew up working in the store. Kevin is now 37 and Janet is 32. They are coming home next week to help their father with the going-out-business sale.
Fred Miller helps the driver from True Value Hardware unload a truck this morning, in what Miller expects will be the last hardware delivery for the store.
Miller said it is a challenge to succeed as a small business owner. He has watched many businesses come and go in downtown Albion. He felt the loss when Fischer’s Newsstand closed in August 2015. That business, like the hardware store, had been a fixture of the downtown for about a century.
Many of the Fischer’s customers would stop by the hardware store to grab a few items.
Miller ran for local elected office about a decade ago over concerns about taxes and the small business environment. He was first on the Albion Village Board and then was elected to the Orleans County Legislature. He is the lone Democrat on the Legislature, and he is well-liked by the Republicans. The party didn’t endorse any one to challenge him in the election.
“The people of this I’ve always loved,” Miller said. “That’s why I got into politics. But I’m not a politician. I’m a business owner.”
Miller said the store was given a boost through e-commerce, where local people could order from the Family Hardware website and then pick up the products at Miller’s store.
He has been wanting to retire anyway. He hasn’t been able to take vacations over the years with his wife Betty Sue.
Without employees to run the store, He has had to close Family Hardware early to make meetings as a county legislator.
This spring he had to close a few hours each day so he could get radiation treatments for prostate cancer. Miller said the treatments have been successful.
He had hoped the building would stay a hardware store, but that won’t be the case. Miller said someone has an option to buy the building.
Doug Bower stopped by the store today to pick up a water heater from Miller. Bower, a plumber, has been one of Miller’s most dedicated customers over the years.
Doug Bower, an Albion plumber, has been one of Miller’s most loyal customers. He stops by each morning around 7:30 for coffee, just before the doors open to the public. He is usually joined by Joe Baker and Richard Nenni, two other dedicated customers.
Bower said Miller kept the store going long after most others would have stopped.
“It’s hard to stay in business against the Home Depots and the Lowe’s,” Bower said.
Miller said the big box competition wasn’t the culprit in the store’s closing. Ultimately, he said there are far fewer do-it-yourselfers these days. Many local residents either hire out work around the house or neglect home improvement projects.
“People used to do more projects,” he said. “We used to have people lined up here at 8 in the morning. They knew how to do things with their hands. They could do projects – faucets, toilets, outlets, plumbing and electrical.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 13 September 2019 at 12:26 pm
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Georgia Thomas of Medina holds a copy of her book, “Ellen’s Elephant,” a true story of her granddaughter’s wish for an elephant. The book is for sale at The Book Shoppe, where Thomas will have a book signing on Sept. 23.
MEDINA – It took Georgia Thomas 21 years to finally write a book about her granddaughter’s wish for an elephant.
The former Georgia Ramming grew up in Medina, married her childhood sweetheart Terry Thomas and moved around the country during his military career, while raising their daughter.
From the time her granddaughter Ellen was a little girl, she was fascinated with elephants. While her friends wanted dolls or kittens or puppies, Ellen wanted an elephant.
“We did all sorts of things to appease her,” Thomas said. “Kids can have very unrealistic expectations, and to get them to face reality you sometimes have to be creative.”
Thomas started putting her thoughts on paper while Ellen was still a little girl, and she often read the book to Ellen. But life got in the way and she never got around to having it illustrated and published.
Until recently.
After her husband died, Thomas moved back to Medina to live with her sister Joycelyn Jennings. She still hadn’t found an illustrator for her book, until she renewed acquaintances with Diana Martin, a talented Medina artist. She gave Martin the text and told her to read it, letting the words giver her visualization.
“I truly believe she captured the essence of the words,” Thomas said.
Martin’s father became the image of grandpa in the book.
Ellen, who is now 27, had no idea what her grandmother had done.
The book tells how Ellen begged for an elephant, and no amount of bribing could make her happy.
Then Thomas got an idea.
She was living in Baltimore at the time and the Baltimore Zoo had an adopt-an-animal program. So Thomas showed Ellen how they could adopt an elephant, thereby satisfying Ellen’s wishes, while helping their zoo.
And after that, Ellen was happy.
Thomas taught at a middle school in Baltimore and used the book in their eighth-grade art program. She said the book satisfied three major points.
It had repetitive lines. It introduced the reader to adjectives. And it was an outreach to inform the reader about the program to support their zoo.
The book also has two pages with pictures of Ellen’s elephant which a child can color.
Thomas just sent a copy of the book to Ellen.
“She opened the package and jumped and screamed,” Thomas said. “She was delighted beyond belief.”
Thomas has donated several copies of the book to Lee-Whedon Memorial Library.
Since returning to Medina, Thomas has also written a book for the Cobblestone Society Museum, of which she is a member and volunteer. That book is called “Cobble the Mouse,” and tells about a mouse which lives in the Cobblestone Museum. That book is illustrated by Patty Blackburn of Medina and is for sale at the museum.
Provided photo: The Holley Waterfalls are pictured behind a sign during the Memory Walk for Hospice of Orleans.
Press Release, Hospice of Orleans
HOLLEY – Hospice of Orleans would like to invite the public to its annual Memory Walk on Sept. 28 at 9:30 a.m. at Holley Falls.
This event helps to provide an opportunity to honor, remember and pay tribute to loved ones who have passed away. There will be a time of remembrance ceremony at 9:30 a.m. followed by a leisurely stroll through the course of the walk.
“This event is a great opportunity to stand in solidarity with fellow community members that have endured the loss of a loved one and to set aside space to celebrate the lives and experiences shared with them,” said Kellie Spychalski, CEO of Hospice of Orleans. “It allows us to acknowledge that just as the seasons change, we too can embrace the changes that come with the ebb and flow of the grief process.”
Refreshments will also be provided. For further information on registration, please call 585-589-0809 or email RMICHAUD@hospiceoforleans.org. You can also go to the Hospice website for additional information and downloadable registration forms.
Other upcoming opportunities to support Hospice of Orleans: November – National Hospice & Palliative Care Month; December 3 – ROC the Day! Online giving campaign; December 7 – Light-A-Life ceremony.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 September 2019 at 8:53 am
KNOWLESVILLE – The Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County is working on three building projects at the fairgrounds.
The organization next month expects to accept the construction bids for a new Showplex for livestock shows. The Cooperative Extension also is planning a new STEM shop and bathrooms that would be connected to the Curtis Pavilion, which last year added a new performance stage with dressing rooms.
The Showplex would be paid for with a $96,000 state grant. This is the second round of the state funding for upgrading facilities at fairgrounds. The first round paid for the Curtis Pavilion stage, an addition to the building, and some electrical work at the fairgrounds.
The Showplex will be a pole barn that is 60 by 100 feet, half the length of the current show arena, where llamas, alpacas and pigs also spend fair week. The Showplex will be about 50 feet south of the arena.
“This will move all of our livestock south of the creek,” said Robert Batt, executive director of the Cooperative Extension.
Having a facility dedicated to livestock shows and also the 4-H animal meat auction will free up room in the show arena for other animals to stay during fair week. The Extension plans to move the goats and sheep from the Knights Building to the arena.
Moving the goat and sheep from the Knights will create more room in that building for horses and also allow a practice area for 4-H’ers who show dogs, Batt said.
The Extension also is working on plans to put an addition on the Curtis Pavilion that would be a STEM Shop with space and equipment for the 4-H Robotics program. The STEM Shop would also be available for Extension staff and other programs.
Batt said donations already have come through to cover about 80 percent of the projected cost. The Robotics program has been meeting at BCA Ag Technologies on Route 31A in Barre.
The state has made a third funding round available with the Extension eligible for another $96,000 for the fairgrounds. The Extension is seeking final approval from the state for a project that would add new bathrooms and put in a raised septic bed. The bathrooms would be built next to the STEM Shop addition on the Curtis Pavilion.
Tim Gregoire Construction in Holley works on new addition to the Curtis Pavilion in May 2018. Plans include extending the building to add a STEM Shop and bathrooms.
LYNDONVILLE – At its recent September meeting, the Lyndonville Village Board was presented with a check for $65,000 from the Lyndonville Area Foundation towards the cost of repairs and renovations on the Village of Lyndonville’s dam.
The village faced with significant costs to repair and ultimately replace flood gates and other structural deterioration to the north side of the Johnson Creek dam in Lyndonville.
As a result of the deterioration a portion of the adjacent school grounds were subsequently undermined and sunken in presenting a significant potential for collapse and possible injury for anyone in the area. For the past year, this sunken portion has been fenced off by the village.
The repaired portion of the dam was necessary for effective flood control, drainage and the ultimate integrity of the overall dam structure. Primary funding came about through efforts by Senator Robert Ortt and his office which procured the first $100,000 for repairs.
With the additional $65,000 contribution from the Lyndonville Area Foundation, the Village Board was able to budget the smaller remaining amount of the project’s total cost.
The dam and waterfall are the centerpiece of the Village and a draw for both fishermen, visitors and local residents alike.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 September 2019 at 4:19 pm
ALBION – Three people were sentenced to the Orleans County Jail today by County Court Judge Sanford Church.
Regina Russell of Niagara Falls was sentenced to six months in jail plus five years of probation for her role in breaking into two farm labor camps in Carlton and Yates on Oct. 11. Russell and two co-defendants allegedly stole money, sneakers, a television and household items from farmworkers.
Judge Church is requiring Russell to pay $1,966 in restitution for 12 victims.
Her attorney, Brian Degnan, asked that she not go to jail and serve probation only. But Judge Church said jail is warranted because she broke into two houses where people were living.
Two Medina residents who are codefendants in a drug case both were sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation.
Quincy Casanova, 22, of Medina and Brittany Osby Turner, 28, of Medina both pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree. They are accused of selling cocaine from a hotel room.
Osby Turner is working full-time. Her attorney, Public Defender Joanne Best, asked that she be sentenced to weekends in jail and probation.
Judge Church said the crime warranted more than weekends in jail.
“You were selling drugs, and we all know what drugs do to people,” the judge said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 September 2019 at 3:15 pm
Village DPW needs to make road repair from Jan. 1 water leak
File photo by Tom Rivers: The Village of Department of Public Works had to dig down on Main Street, just north of the Erie Canal lift bridge, to fix a water leak on Jan. 1, 2019. The Village DPW next week will repair the section of the road to state Department of Transportation standards. The DPW did a temporary restoration in January.
ALBION – The Main Street lift bridge will be closed to traffic beginning Monday so a full road restoration can be made just north of the bridge. The bridge could be closed to traffic until Friday.
The Village of Albion Department of Public Works on Jan. 1 was forced to cut into the road and dig down to a water main after a big leak was discovered.
The Village DPW will dig down again about 6 to 7 feet next week, and will check on the water main to make sure the fix is holding, said Jay Pahura, the DPW superintendent.
The DPW then needs to restore the road the state Department of Transportation standards, with layers of sand, crusher-run and flowable fill, topped by 14 inches of pavement.
The DOT is bringing in a saw to cut through the 14 inches of pavement. The County Highway Department will help haul material to the site.
The DPW also needs to reset granite curbing and sidewalks at the site.
Pahura said there is a chance the work won’t take five days and the bridge could reopen to traffic sooner. The bridge will remain operational for any boat traffic during the week.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 12 September 2019 at 1:30 pm
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Roger Hungerford looks at a poster in his office describing the renovation of a barn on his property on Mountain Road in Middleport, which he had turned into an elegant guest home. Hungerford is undertaking the renovation of several historic properties in Medina.
MEDINA – A transformation is taking place around Medina.
Companies have moved in. A hotel is being built, and new businesses are opening.
But in the middle of Medina, another transformation is occurring – a historic one.
And behind it all is a Medina native, born and bred, who when he sold his company chose to invest in his hometown.
Roger Hungerford has stepped up to renovate and essentially save several local landmarks, including Bent’s Hall at the four corners in downtown Medina, the Luther (Stonehurst) Mansion at West Center and Prospect streets and the former Medina High School on Catherine Street.
Hungerford said he has three sides – a family side, a business side and a charitable side.
His family consists of wife Heather Farnsworth, a young daughter and three grown sons.
On the business side, Hungerford and his brother Bill went to work for their father Van at Sigmamotor after college. When Van was approaching retirement and decided to split the company, five businesses were spun off from Sigmamotor. Bill founded American Sigma; Gerald Hilger, who was vice president of sales at Sigmamotor, started Cormed; Frank Bernard became president of Sigmamotor; and a former electronic technician at Sigmamotor started a circuit board company in Akron.
Roger, in 1982 at the age of 31, started Sigma, a company which he would expand to the former skating rink on West Center Street Extension. When an even bigger facility was needed, Roger moved into a small part of the former H.J. Heinz plant, later the home of Fisher Price. When Fisher Price announced in 1995 they were leaving, Roger bought the entire building with the intent of renting out space he didn’t need. He calls it, “The best real estate deal I ever made.”
“I paid $1 million with $125,000 down, with the intent of renting out what I didn’t need,” Hungerford said. “I had five years to pay it off, but Fisher Price needed storage space and I agreed to rent space to them. My annual payment on the building was $192,000, and they paid me $400,000 a year in rent.”
The former Medina High School will be converted into apartments.
In 2009, Roger had become a leader in his field and entered into a relationship with Baxter Medical Products to sell them 40 percent of his company and lend his technology in correcting some defects in their infusion systems. Three years later Baxter purchased the remaining 60 percent of Sigma International General Medical Apparatus.
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Medina native Roger Hungerford, founder and CEO of Talis Equity, and his managing director of historic properties, Lisa Tombari, sit in the lounge area of his office in the Olde Pickle Factory on Park Avenue, Medina. Hungerford owns the Olde Pickle Factory, which was the former H.J. Heinz plant. He did extensive renovations to modernize the building.
Ironically, Roger said his father had an association with Baxter 50 years earlier, when they tried to buy Sigma and Van refused to sell.
Since selling Sigma, Roger has become a major partner in Talis Clinical with the Cleveland Clinic. He says they have taken the technology way beyond advanced.
“My top priority now is to turn Talis Clinical into a successful, large-scale business that could be four times bigger than when I sold Sigma,” Roger said.
He is also in the beginning stages of establishing a second medical technology company at the Pickle Factory with Jason Maine of Brockport.
“This building will never get sold,” Roger said. “The jobs we create will stay here in Medina, and Jason agrees with me.”
As far as the charitable side of Roger, he is a generous donor to many causes in the area, often anonymously.
Because of his career, Roger has had the opportunity to travel nationally and internationally, something he said has only made him appreciate his hometown even more and realize what a great place it is to work and raise a family.
Roger said he is hopeful for the projects he is undertaking in Medina because of all the significant development in the village by other business owners.
“If we didn’t have those people, things would be way tougher,” he said.
The Luther (Stonehurst) Mansion at West Center and Prospect streets will be converted into a boutique hotel and event center.
Recently, Roger hosted his 1969 classmates at their former alma mater on the occasion of their 50th class reunion.
One classmate was heard remarking, “The things Roger is doing in his hometown will impact the village and its residents for decades, maybe centuries.”
His wife said Roger was encouraged by the look of hopefulness on classmates’ faces as they realized parts of Medina were going to be saved.
Orleans Hub will feature some of the Hungerford’s projects in upcoming articles. The second story in the series will focus on the efforts to save Bent’s Opera House in downtown Medina.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 September 2019 at 8:14 am
Provided photo
ALBION – Some members of the Albion Rock the Park Committee on Wednesday presented a $5,000 ceremonial check to Albion Mayor Eileen Banker, left, for projects at Bullard Park. Other sin the photo include committee members: John Grillo, Bernie Baldwin, Kim Remley and Ron Albertson.
The committee organized the Albion Summer Festival featuring Rock the Park on Aug. 3. It added children’s games and welcomed vendors for the event.
The sixth annual event attracted about 1,000 people to the performance tent where five bands performed from 3 to 11 p.m.
Next year, the bands will play from a new amphitheater that has been under construction this summer, along with a spray park and other improvements.
The Rock the Park Committee would like the $5,000 to go towards the amphitheater with $2,000 for electric work, and $3,000 for side slats that can be rolled up. The amphitheater is on a slope and some of the $5,000 from the committee could also be used for drainage, said John Grillo, one of the committee members and Albion’s recreation director.
The committee wants to add more vendors and children’s games and activities for next year’s festival.
Four employees of Keeler Construction are working with the Town of Irondequoit this week. The employees wanted to honor 9/11 by putting a flag on the paver while they were at work on Wednesday, which was the 18thanniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The four employees from Keeler’s are, from left: Van Morgott (saluting), Justin Windnagle, Marc Smith (in the blue shirt) and Jason Bessel (sitting on top of the paver next to the flag).
Residents and the Activities staff at Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina decided they wanted to honor our local first responders on 9/11. To show their appreciation they baked brownies during their monthly cooking session and presented them to the Medina Fire Department. To honor the memory of those lost on 9/11, Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center presented the Fire Department with a picture created by resident Gloria Ash.
Pictured, include, front row: Joel Erickson, Gloria Ash, Betty Clark and Frank Ranallo. Back row: ORNC administrator Martin MacKenzie, Brad Mahnke, Chris Seefeldt, activities director Jamie Murphy, Lieutenant Mike Young, Adam Fisher and Sergio DiCenso.
