Provided photos: (Left) Kitchen staff serve up Thanksgiving dinner to residents last Thursday. (Right) An employee of Medina Memorial Hospital’s North Wing chats with Nicki Fredericks, who visited to have Thanksgiving dinner with her brother Fulton Rogers, seated beside her.

MEDINA – Residents of Medina Memorial Hospital’s North Wing were treated to an early Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings last Thursday.

“This is an annual occurrence, bringing residents, families and friends together for one of the most cherished traditions of the year,” said Scott Robinson, director of marketing at Orleans Community Health. “The event is a highlight for many, as an afternoon to spend time with those we care deeply about.”

Each year the dedicated North Wing team plans and prepares this celebration with great care, Robinson said. From decorating the space to serving a seasonal meal, staff members work together to make the day special for every resident. Their efforts create an atmosphere that feels both festive and comforting, honoring the spirit of the holiday, while ensuring residents are surrounded by the people who matter the most to them.

Families and friends were invited to join their loved ones, and the turnout was truly heartwarming, Robinson said. For many, the Thanksgiving celebration is a treasured opportunity to share memories, strengthen bonds and enjoy the companionship that defines our North Wing community, he said.

Robinson added that this yearly tradition continues to be one of the most enjoyable and meaningful events the North Wing hosts. It reflects the commitment of the staff, the spirit of the residents and the strong sense of community which makes Orleans Community Health such a special place.

“We are grateful to everyone who joined us and to the team members who made this year’s celebration so memorable,” Robinson said.

The North Wing recently organized a large Halloween party for residents and visitors and will do the same for Christmas.

MEDINA – A fire on Sunday in Medina on Pleasant Street caused about $30,000 in damages, said Medina Fire Chief Steve Cooley said.

Firefighters were dispatched at 7:57 p.m. to Pleasant Street with reports of the upstairs area charged with smoke. Engine 1 from Medina with a crew of four arrived on scene at 8:02 p.m. with smoke coming from the eves and windows on the second floor, Cooley said.

Engine 1 was quickly supplemented by Engine 10, Ambulances 60 and 62 with off-duty staff and crews from Shelby and Ridgeway fire departments.

Firefighters found the interior staircase of the second floor to have smoke from stairs to ceiling. Once they reached the top of the staircase, due to zero visibility conditions, a thermal imaging camera was utilized to locate the fire in the corner of the westernmost bedroom, the fire chief said.

Simultaneously a backup hose line was stretched and brought to the base of the stairs to protect the crews working upstairs. The fire was brought under control with approximately 200 gallons of water or less and crews began checking for fire extension and performed ventilation at 8:15 p.m. with the fire completely extinguished at 8:18 p.m.

Fire investigators have ruled this fire as accidental. Damage to the structure is approximately $20,000 with damage to contents estimated at $10,000, Cooley said.

The residents are being assisted by family members at the present time. No injuries to civilians or firefighters occurred at this scene.

“We will be entering a busy time for residential fires,” Cooley said. “Make sure to check your smoke detectors and have an exit plan.”

He thanked the Orleans County Public Safety Dispatchers and mutual aid partners for helping with the quick response and fire extinguishment.

Mutual aid partners on scene: Shelby, one ladder truck; Ridgeway, one fire engine; Albion, FAST crew; Office of Emergency Management, director and investigator; Village of Medina Police Department and Code Enforcement.

Keeler Construction apparent low bidder at $997,851

This photo from Sept. 12, 2022 shows Albion town highway employees blocking off traffic on the Phipps Road bridge, which was closed that day. Construction should start on a new bridge this spring. This bridge is on the west end of Phipps Road near Eagle Harbor Road.

ALBION – Four contractors bid on the Phipps Road bridge replacement over Otter Creek, and Keeler Construction is the apparent low bidder by more than $200,000.

Contractors were asked to submit proposals for a replacing the existing 19.5-foot-long bridge and replacing it with one that is 25 feet long.

The project includes the removal of the existing concrete culvert, and replacement with a 3-sided single span precast concrete span unit. The structure will be supported by micro-piles on spread footings, and associated highway approach work and stream work, according to a description seeking bids.

Keeler, a local company based in Barre, proposed to do the project for $992,851.75. That is less than the bids submitted by C.P. Ward of Scottsville at $1,221,503.75; Nardozzi Paving and Construction of Geneva at $1,207,593; and Mark Cerrone Inc. of Niagara Falls at $1,279,443.75. (The bids were opened today at 1 p.m. at the Town Hall.)

The town has been awarded a $1.038 million state grant for the project from the Bridge NY program.

Albion has been working with Ravi Engineering and Land Surveying in Rochester for design and bid specifications, as well as securing easements.

Rick Papaj, an engineer with Ravi, said the bid from Keeler is a “good price” for the town. The Town Board will review the bids and is expected to accept the low bid during its meeting at 5 p.m. on Dec. 8.

Papaj said construction should start in the spring.

The project also gave contractors the option for alternative cast-in-place system for the bridge onsite, rather than a precast structure. The alternates for that, however, were much more than the precast concrete bridge.

Keeler’s bid, for example, would have been nearly $300,000 higher with the cast-in-place unit.

Photo courtesy of Jada Burgess

MEDINA – Downtown Medina is getting decked out for the holidays. This morning the Department of Public Works was out putting decorations on Main Street.

This photo shows Foreman Ben Lacy, in bucket truck, and Foreman Brad Freeman getting garland hung across Main Street near the Park Avenue intersection.

Medina will celebrate Olde Tyme Christmas this Saturday, an event that includes the Parade of Lights at 6 p.m.

Photos and information courtesy of Zach Busch, Holley band teacher: (Left) Aurora Avery, left, and Sara Corser performed at Area All-State, representing Lyndonville. (Right) Two Albion students, Gideon Pask and Phoebe Allen, were part of the festival.

CHURCHVILLE – This weekend 7 students from Orleans County participated in the NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) Zone 2 Sr. High Area All-State festival at Churchville-Chili High School.

NYSSMA Zone 2 encompasses schools from Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Seneca, and Wayne counties. To be selected for Area All-State, students must first prepare a solo on their instrument or voice for adjudication at Solo Festival.

Then, based on their score and a teacher recommendation, an application is sent to a committee of music teachers from the NYSSMA Zone 2 area who select that year’s student participants in the Area All-State ensembles. Students performing at Area All-State are among the best of the best in the Zone 2 region.

These students include Aidan Kelley of Holley, River Jones of Medina and Elise Olsen of Medina.

Participating students from Orleans County include:

Albion: Gideon Pask, 12th grade – Mixed Choir; and Phoebe Allen, 11th grade – Mixed Choir.

Holley: Aidan Kelley, 11th grade  – Symphonic Band.

Lyndonville: Sara Corser, 11th grade – Mixed Choir; and Aurora Avery, 10th grade – Treble Choir.

Medina: River Jones, 11th grade – Symphonic Band; and Elise Olsen, 10th grade  – Symphonic Band.

Conducting the Symphonic Band was Dr. Jared Chase of Nazareth University, where he directs the Wind Ensemble. Dr. Chase also conducts the Penfield Symphony. The band performed “Galop” by Dmitri Shostakovich, “Rising Light” by Kevin Charoensrir, and movements from Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana”.

Conducting the Treble Choir was Dr. Crystal Sellers Battle of Eastman School of Music where she is the Inaugural Dean of Equity and Inclusion as well as the Director of the George Walker Center for Equity and Inclusion in Music. The treble choir performed works including “Colorful” by Philip E. Silvey, “Keep Your Lamps!” a spiritual arranged by Andre Thomas, and “Shine the Light” by Raymond Wise.

Conducting the Mixed Choir was Mr. Holden Maiorana who serves as the Director of Choirs at Spackenkill High School in Poughkeepsie, NY. Mr. Maiorana and his choirs have performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center, as well as in Europe. The mixed choir performed works including “Does the World Say?” by Pederson, “Wisdom of the Moon” by LaBarr – which featured Lyndonville soloist Sarah Corser, and a world premier of “Songs for the People” by Lloyd.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Jim Nudd, left, and Nik Mroz, director of the Orleans County Veterans Service Agency, hand out free turkeys to veterans on Friday. Here, Albion American Legion commander Brad Rouse gets his free turkey.

ALBION – Orleans County veterans received 125 free turkeys for Thanksgiving this year, thanks to support from the Pfc. Joseph Dwyer Peer-to-Peer program.

Nik Mroz, director of the Orleans County Veterans Service Agency, and retired veteran Jim Nudd handed out the turkeys on Friday.

One of the first to get his free turkey was Brad Rouse, commander of the Albion American Legion, who praised the give-away program, funded by the Pfc. Joseph Dwyer Peer-to-Peer program.

“This is an excellent program,” Rouse said. “I also picked up one for my vice commander, Bob Gilsinan. We will probably cook both of them for veterans in the Legion.”

Mroz said in total they handed out 1,000 pounds of turkeys. They also do a ham give-away at Easter, passing out 100 hams to veterans.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Allen and Rose Phillips opened Rosenal Hardware today at 29 South Main St. They ran a hardware store in Albion the past two years next to Save-A-Lot before moving the store to Lyndonville.

LYNDONVILLE – Allen Phillips tried to stay retired from the hardware business but he finds he likes to share his knowledge with the public.

He started working with a hardware distributor 50 years ago when he was in high school. He worked as a sales rep for many years, visiting hardware stores all over the region.

He finally retired, but when a new hardware store opened four years ago in Albion, Phillips decided to take a part-time job at Pro Hardware. Not longer after he became the store’s manager and then two years ago, the owner.

He renamed the store, Rosenal Hardware, which is a combination of his wife’s first name and his, Al.

The couple lives in Lyndonville and they decided to move the hardware store closer to their home.

Allen and Rose Phillips chose the name, Rosenal Hardware, as a combination of their first names, Rose and Al. Rosenal Hardware is located a building that saw a major renovation. Lyndonville native Robert Smith owns that site as well as others on Main Street that have been significantly refurbished.

Today was an unofficial opening day at 29 South Main St. They are still settling into the space. Only half of their hardware inventory is currently available at the site.

Phillips said Rosenal has a full array of hardware products, from a paint department to plumbing, electrical, nuts, bolts, rakes, shovels, rock salt, fasteners and many other products. Rosenal sells DeWalt power tools.

Rose and Allen are happy to have the store in Lyndonville, where the couple raised their four daughters: Amanda, Alicia, Rachael and Dana.

Rosenal will be open Monday through Saturday. Call (585) 765-1144 for more information.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Annabella Dusharm stars as Junie B. Jones in the Albion Middle School’s production of Junie B. Jones, The Musical. Junie B. is a first grader with friendly and bright personality.

She is shown in the opening number: “Top Secret Personal Beeswax.”

Friday was opening night. There also are shows at noon today with the finale at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.

Samiyah Sanders plays the role of Mrs. Gutzman, who is loved by the class for baking the best brownies and other treats. Samiyah and the cast are singing, “Gladys Gutzman Queen of Snacks.”

Sutton Sanders plays Lucille, center, who was Junie’s best friend but has ditched her for two new friends, Kinzie Rickner as Camille and Nadalee Ryan as Chenille. The three have rhyming names and Junie bemoans no other names rhyme with hers. This trio is singing, “Lucille, Camille, Chenille.”

Kenya N. Bennett plays the role of Miss Scary, the teacher. She instructs the class to choose a word from the list and draw a picture of it.

Junie tries on her glasses. Her teacher suggested she might need them when Junie struggled to see the chalkboard. Junie worries the kids at school will make fun of her because of her glasses, but they tell her she looks good in them.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – It’s been over five years that Community Action of Orleans & Genesee has been organizing a food distribution with Foodlink in Albion. These events have always been in the morning – until Friday when there was one beginning at 4:30 p.m. The top photo was taken about 5 p.m. when the distribution was halfway over.

Foodlink gave Albion an extra distribution due to the delays with getting SNAP benefits caused by the federal government shutdown.

Volunteers in one hour filled 200 boxes with food and placed them in the trunks of vehicles that were at the large Albion municipal lot at 165 South Platt St.

Community Action was grateful for the extra distribution on Friday but the agency wondered about having volunteers to help pack the food into boxes and deliver it to a parking lot full of vehicles.

Community Action had a big group of volunteers on Friday, with a group of 14 cheerleaders providing the most manpower.

Jami Allport is the Albion cheerleading coach and also executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern. The cheerleaders also will be ringing the bell for the Red Kettle Drive to raise money for local residents in need.

There were people who haven’t been to a food distribution before due to the time later in the afternoon. The morning start time prevents many from those food distributions.

Ryan Lasal, director of community programming for Community Action, said the agency will reach out to Foodlink about alternating the times in the future, with a morning distribution one month and then the afternoon time the following month.

Jackie Dunham, chief operating officer at Community Action, was among the volunteers helping with the food distribution on Friday evening.

Other upcoming distributions in Orleans County include:

• Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension, 12690 State Route 31, on Monday, December 1 beginning at 10 a.m. Pre-registration is strongly suggested. Those who pre-register will be assigned timeslots for pickup (12-12:30, 12:30-1, 1-1:30. 1:30-2 p.m.) Pre-register at 585-798-4265. Walk-ins may start at 2 p.m.
• Lyndonville Presbyterian Church, 107 North Main St., on Friday, Dec. 5, beginning at 9:30 a.m. (No registration required.)
• Community Action at Albion municipal lot at 165 South Platt St. on Monday, Dec. 8, beginning at 9 a.m. (No preregistration required.) Community Action also has the schedule for the first six months of 2026: Jan. 12, Feb. 9, March 9, April 13, May 11 and June 8.