By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 November 2018 at 1:56 pm
10th annual Parade of Lights will go at 6 p.m. as planned
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Santa Claus walks down Main Street during the noon parade today for Olde Tyme Christmas in Medina. Santa is joined by Emma Underhill, 7, of Elba and Seth Hodgins, 1, of Medina.
It is a busy day in Medina for the annual Christmas celebration. It was raining hard during the parade. The rain is expected to go away and parade officials say the 10th annual Parade of Lights will go on as planned at 6 p.m. today.
Sophia Albone of Medina walks her dog Stella in the pet parade down Main Street.
Emma Underhill, 7, of Elba is one of the winners in the littlest elf contest.
Seth Hodgins, 1, of Medina is held by his mother, Erin Hodgins. Seth was all smiles despite the wet weather. He won the littlest elf contest.
Rhinehart Rogowski dons the Frosty the Snowman costume.
Emily Pellicano hold a luminary that will be used to light up Park Avenue during the parade this evening. The luminaries are being distributed by the Knights Kaderli Memorial Fund. People are encouraged to include the name of a loved one on the luminary. The late Richard Knights is the grandfather of Pellicano. He is one of the people who is memorialized with the fund. Sue Kaderli is the other. The fund supports Orleans County residents who are battling cancer.
Jim Punch and Ross Thompson cook hamburgers and hot dogs for the Medina Lions Club.
The Medina Marching Band played Christmas songs in the parade.
Medina Police Lt. Todd Draper wears a festive hat while directing traffic during the parade.
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 24 November 2018 at 7:41 am
“Overlooked Orleans” – Vol. 4, No. 46
KENDALL – The abundance of town, village, hamlet, road, and street names provides an opportunity to understand the past. Many of the towns and villages in Orleans County are named in honor of prominent men in the United States; Kendall, for example, is named in honor of U.S. Postmaster General Amos Kendall (an ardent supporter of President Andrew Jackson).
Hamlets often serve as an indicator of local status or early settlement; Kuckville in honor of George Kuck, Hindsburg in honor of Jacob Hinds, or Knowlesville in honor of William Knowles.
The origins of street and road names, on the other hand, are more elusive. In some simple cases, they indicate early settlement. In other cases, they may indicate the past presence of an early service offered in the area, but on occasion the names seem rather silly and lacking in sensibility.
Beaver Alley in Albion is a clear oddity, but considering the possible origin of the name, perhaps it makes sense. Woodchuck Alley in Kendall is another example. Bill Lattin writes in v. 19, no. 2 of Bethinking of Old Orleans that “…we can assume [Woodchuck Alley] was simply named for the proliferation of those critters in that area.” The explanation seems logical, as tracing the name as far back as possible reveals that in the early 1950s the road was known locally as “Woodchuck Alley” but on the record as Backus Road. It appears as though the name originated with Charles Backus, a farmer who lived on the road.
A similar example in Barre, Johnny Cake Lane, has a story very similar to that of Woodchuck Alley. Bill Lattin wrote two possible explanations for the naming of the road; “One is that children attending Barre Dist. #14 School frequently took Johnny Cake in their lunch pails to school. The other legendary explanation is that at one time there was an advertising sign at one end of the road which promoted Johnny Cake Chewing Tobacco.” A 1913 atlas shows the road listed as “High Street,” even though newspapers show record of the Johnny Cake Lane name around the same time. It is interesting to see that in both of these cases, colloquial references to a particular street eventually took hold as the official name.
One particular story that demonstrates the rather simplistic nature of road naming references the old Norwegian settlement located in Kendall. Established in 1825 under the guidance of Cleng Peerson, with assistance from Andreas Stangeland, the first organized group of Norwegian immigrants settled an area of land near the shore of Lake Ontario. The early experiences of this group were discouraging at best, leading many families to abandon their little settlement and venture westward to the Fox River Valley in Illinois. All that remains of this very important landmark in organized Norwegian immigration to the United States is the Norway Road, running from Ridge Road north to the shore of Lake Ontario.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 November 2018 at 7:15 pm
Medina man urges others to connect with groups in Orleans County
Provided photos: Wayne Litchfield is pictured at the Hospice of Orleans County sign, one of the many organizations where he is an active volunteer.
MEDINA – A Medina man who retired five years ago as an Orleans County public safety dispatcher has poured himself to many local organizations as a volunteer. His service has been critical for many of the groups to serve Orleans County residents.
Wayne Litchfield, 67, said he is grateful to be a part of so many organizations. When he retired after 28 years as a dispatcher, he embraced the chance to use his many connections in the community to help local not-for-profits.
Litchfield isn’t just a member of local groups. He does a lot of work on their behalf.
He is a list of some of his commitments:
• Direct care volunteer at Hospice of Orleans, and also will wear a Gingerbread costume to lift people’s spirits.
• One of the leaders in the Orleans-Recovery Hope Begins Here organization, which offers assistance to people fighting addictions.
• Member of the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force, and a member of the Orleans United Drug-Free Coalition and the National Night Out planning committee.
• Member of the VALOR Medical Reserve Corps for the Orleans County Health Department.
• Director of media and technology at the Albion Free Methodist Church. He also runs the church’s website and Facebook page.
• Mentor in the Just Friends program through the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern.
• Member of the planning committee for the Metro 10 race, and helps with the organization, set up and manning of water stations, and will spring into action when needed.
• A consistent volunteer at the Community Kitchen in Albion and the Hands 4 Hope Ministry on Saturdays.
• Master gardener with the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension.
• He also helps at Care Net of Greater Orleans, Gotta Dance at Miss Amy, the Ride 4 Life and the Ride for Roswell.
Litchfield wears the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man costume to make the Trunk or Treat event more fun at the Albion Free Methodist Church.
Litchfield grew up in Holley and was an active volunteer firefighter and member of the rescue squad before becoming a dispatcher.
He was hospitalized in July with congestive heart failure. He has rebounded and said he welcomes the chance to serve others.
“It’s about a better community,” he said. “It’s about a love of people and a love of God.”
Litchfield was at the Lakeside Beikirch Care Center for a year until July 2013. He needed extensive rehab so he could walk again.
He retired from his job as dispatcher and went home to Medina, using a walker to get around. It was quiet in his house.
“Wayne this isn’t you, sitting home staring at a wall,” he recalled. “I got to be out there with people.”
Paul Pettit, the Orleans County public health director, called Litchfield and asked him if he would be coordinator of the VALOR program, which seeks volunteers to be trained and ready to respond in case of a public health issue, such as a mass vaccination clinic.
Litchfield agreed to take on the role.
“I knew Wayne from his role with the county as a dispatcher,” Pettit said. “He has a good background in talking to folks. He has really embraced and thrived on that human communication.”
Litchfield attends concerts at the Orleans County Marine Park and uses that venue to share information to the public about VALOR and the organization’s role. He is good at connecting with people.
Litchfield, in back, is shown in 1981 when he was a member of the Holley Emergency Squad.
Pettit isn’t surprised that Litchfield keeps a busy schedule as a volunteer, assisting many groups in the community.
“He has a passionate heart for giving and volunteering,” Pettit said. “He really wants to give back to the community. We could use more people like Wayne to volunteer.”
Litchfield last month was honored by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce with the Community Service Award.
He credits his mother, the late Ruth Litchfield, for making him sensitive to serving others. She died at age 36 from severe arthritis. Wayne was only 12.
“She really instilled in me a love for other people,” he said.
He grew up in Holley and was a volunteer firefighter and a member of Holley’s Emergency Squad before he took the job as dispatcher.
He said the loss of his mother at a young age, and overcoming some health problems, including recent congestive heart failure, has made him appreciative of the chance to help others. He has made many friends by volunteering, and he believes his efforts make a difference for the organizations and the people they serve.
He is up early in the morning and comes home in the evenings after a packed schedule of appointments in his volunteer capacity.
“People tell me to slow down and cut back,” Litchfield said. “I’m back at full blast right now. These groups need more volunteers. I say give me one more volunteer and I will find a place for you.”
Litchfield manned a table on Oct. 27 at Medina Fire Department for drug take-back day.
Patricia Crowley, director of Orleans United Drug-Free Communities Coalition through GCASA, said Litchfield has continuously stepped up for her organization and others in the county. When Orleans United wanted to make graphics and snazzy signs to relay the results of a drug and alcohol use survey, Litchfield offered to take on the project. He produced many graphics that are easy to understand.
Litchfield has compassion for everyone, including people battling addictions.
“He is quite an advocate,” Crowley said. “He is a great guy. I really can’t say enough about him.”
Litchfield in his 20s battled an alcohol addiction.
“There by the grace of God go I,” he said.
He has become a trained peer advocate and mentor to assist people trying to break free from drug and alcohol addictions. He joined the new Orleans-Recovery Hope Begins Here organization, which connects people with addictions to services and raises awareness about the opioid epidemic locally.
Don Snyder, a retired prison chaplain, is president of Orleans-Recovery. He praised Litchfield for joining the group on the board of directors and doing some hard work in the background to get the organization started.
“We needed people like Wayne to help us and to establish a board of directors,” Snyder said. “He is one of those people who has a heart for the disadvantaged or the perceived disadvantaged. He’s not afraid to get involved.”
Earlier this fall CEO, Judith Cranston shared with the Girl Scouts of Western New York board her intention to retire in 2019. It is with deep gratitude and appreciation that we thank Judith for all she has done for GSWNY. After nine years it has been an honor to have Judith lead the council, first as chief operating officer and then chief executive officer for the past 3 1/2 years. Judith will be greatly missed.
“It has been an honor to work for this organization,” Cranston said. “The entire Board has supported me throughout my tenure as CEO and I truly appreciate that support. It made for an extremely rewarding time as CEO. I will leave GSWNY thankful and with fond memories. I also leave feeling a sense of accomplishment in that as a team we have delivered budget surpluses each year, a fully implemented C.E.I. initiative, a girl membership increase and increased fundraising year- on-year. I also leave with the confidence of knowing there is a strong and capable GSWNY staff of leaders who are in place to work alongside volunteers, donors, stakeholders and our WNY community to carry out Girl Scouts’ mission.”
“In keeping with the Girl Scout philosophy, planning and preparation are key during this transition process said,” Lettie Chilson, Board Chair of Girl Scouts of Western New York. “We are pleased to share that the board of directors voted unanimously to appoint Alison Wilcox as our next CEO. A formal handover of Judith’s duties will be complete in January 2019. The future of Girl Scouts of Western New York under Alison’s leadership will bring a wealth of new energy and new ideas to the table. This is a very exciting time for Girl Scouts and we’re confident the positive momentum will continue.”
Alison Wilcox
Wilcox is a dynamic leader with 17 years of global experience in organizational leadership encompassing program development, membership, volunteerism, recruitment, education, fundraising, camp, technology, and organizational effectiveness. She has served nearly a decade of her career working in various executive functions within Girl Scouts at both the local and national levels. Over the past three years as GSWNY’s COO, Alison has built strong relationships with the organization’s senior leadership team and staff. Alison is fully ready to take the helm and hit the ground running.
“As a proud alum, and lifelong champion for girls and women, it will be my honor to serve as the next CEO of Girl Scouts of WNY,” said Alison Wilcox, COO of Girl Scouts of Western New York. “I look forward to partnering with our staff and volunteers in our mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place and to prepare the next generation of women leaders.”
Girl Scouts of Western New York thanks the community for its support as it continues to provide the best all-girl, girl-led leadership development experience for girls in the world. For girl and adult volunteer membership information, visit gswny.org or call 1.888.837.6410.
Girl Scouts of Western New York serves nearly 15,000 girls and 7,000 adult volunteers across the GSWNY jurisdiction, including Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties. The council’s administrative service centers are located in Batavia, Buffalo, Jamestown, Lockport, Niagara Falls, and Rochester.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 23 November 2018 at 4:15 pm
ALBION – When the Cobblestone Museum organized its first Christmas Tour of Homes last year, more than 200 people attended, making it one of the musuem’s most popular events of the year.
On Dec. 1, the Cobblestone Museum will sponsor its second annual Christmas Tour of Homes, featuring eight distinctive properties in the Albion area, all decked out for the holiday season.
Doug Farley, director of the Cobblestone Society Museum, said this is a perfect opportunity for people to enjoy the rich heritage of the region while touring 19th century homes in a variety of architectural styles. These include Victorian, Queen Anne, East Lake Victorian, cobblestone, Greek Revival and country farmhouse.
Farley said the museum is excited about the diversity of homes on this year’s tour, including a Federal style home on farmland, a stone Italianate and a log home in Barre.
Jan Mikael Erakare’s and Maarit Vaga’s home on East Avenue, Albion, will be decorated for the holidays during the Cobblestone Museum’s Christmas Tour of Homes on Dec. 1.
“This fantastic tour will feature historic homes bedecked and bedazzled in holiday splendor,” Farley said. “Many open houses will be included and the tour will feature many different types of building construction. Visitors will also learn about Scandinavian Christmas traditions and be reminded about Albion’s important role in American Christmas history.”
Featured sites are Fair Haven Treasures on Ridge Road, the Cobblestone Museum’s Ward House, Toni Plummer and Tom Stark’s home on Ridge Road, Mary Anne Braunbach’s home on Densmore Street, the Orleans Chapter DAR house in Albion, Joe and Debbie Martillotta’s home in Albion, Jan-Mikael Erakare and Maarit Vaga’s home in Albion, the Albion First Presbyterian Church, and the home of Mark and Lois Chamberlain in Barre.
New this year will be a bus tour option, in addition to the self-driven tour. Visitors can leave their car at the Cobblestone Museum and ride in comfort on a motor coach, or choose to drive their own vehicle to each location.
The tour runs from 2 to 7 p.m. For more information about ticket prices check www.cobblestonemuseum.org or call 589-9013.
“As a child growing up I remember ‘Christmas visits’ when our family would pack into the car and drive see our friends and relatives,” Farley said. “There was always lots of food and merriment along the way. The next few nights, we would have been the recipient of similar ‘visits’ in our homes from still more aunts and uncles. That was part of the magic of Christmas for me. Today, I think the Christmas Tour of Homes is a flashback to that era, when we get to share Christmas traditions with others in the community.”
Also on Dec. 1 is the final day of the Holiday Shoppe at the Cobblestone Museum, with special prices on remaining books and Christmas decorations. In addition, local author Sharon Cassano-Lochman will be on hand from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. to sign copies of several of her books.
The Dec. 1 programs conclude a busy year for the museum, which had about 30 events in 2018.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 November 2018 at 1:30 pm
LYNDONVILLE – A group of mothers “and others” are stepping out in support of the proposed Lighthouse Wind in Yates and Somerset, saying the large-scale wind turbine project is renewable energy and these types of developments are needed to fight climate change.
Susan Campbell of Lyndonville is co-leader of the Lakeshore Mothers and Others Out Front Team. Mark Crosby is the other co-leader.
“We want to make it possible and safe for people who support the project to state their support without being shouted down,” Campbell said.
The local group expanded its name to “Mothers and Others” because it includes several men who are concerned about the planet, Campbell said.
There are other Mothers Out Front chapters in New York, Massachusetts, Alabama, California, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia and Washington.
The organization started more than five years ago in Massachusetts. Neely Kelley of Rochester was living in Cambridge, Massachusetts then and attended a house party for Mothers Out Front.
“I was feeling panicked about climate change,” she said last week in Lyndonville.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Neely Kelley (left) is the New York State senior organizer for Mothers Out Front, a group that supports renewable energy projects, including he proposed Lighthouse Wind in Yates and Somerset. Susan Campbell is the co-leader of the Lakeshore Mothers and Others Out Front Team.
She and her family moved to Rochester, and Kelley is now the senior organizer for Mothers Out Front in New York. There are nine community teams in the state, including the Lakeshore Mothers and Others. That group also includes supporters of the proposed Heritage Wind in Barre.
“These projects are good not just for our towns but the world in general,” Campbell said. “It is something that needs to be done, and has needed to be done.”
She is the mother of four grown children and also has 14 grandchildren. She said a warming earth poses great danger to the future.
“We owe it to the next generation to do something about climate change,” Campbell said during an interview last week at Yates Community Library.
She is encouraging supporters of the project to attend town meetings, write letters to the editor and letters of support to the NYS Department of Public Service.
“Right now the letters are lopsided,” Campbell said, noting that many of the public comments about the project are against Lighthouse Wind. “We’re trying to bring new voices to it.”
Campbell said Lakeshore Mothers and Others also want to support other projects that they see as good for the community, including dredging of the Johnson Creek pond, improved access by the Johnson Creek dam, and improved fishing access along the creek.
Campbell said supporters of Lighthouse Wind are often told they are “greedy” or “ignorant.” She is a village resident and has no financial stake in the project, which would include 39 turbines in Somerset and 8 in Yates. The project has been bitterly opposed the past four years by many in the community, including Save Ontario Shores, a citizens’ group.
Campbell and Kelley both said there is a need for respectful dialogue about the project. They said Save Ontario Shores has concerns that should be heard. And supporters of the project should also be able to state their views without feeling public pressure.
“We want to create the space for dialogue,” Kelley said. “We want to respect and honor peoples’ thoughts and questions.”
Mothers Out Front is a not-for-profit organization funded with donations. Kelley said the group isn’t financially supported by Apex Clean Energy, which is proposing Lighthouse Wind and Heritage Wind, the two local projects.
“Clean energy is our main goal,” Kelley said. “The purpose of Mothers Out Front is to lift the voices of mothers about climate change.”
She acknowledged that “climate change” has become polarizing. She said using the word “sustainable” may be better for engaging people to work together in solving the crisis of a warming planet.
People know there is a problem with a warming planet, she said. She noted the recent destructive wildfires and hurricanes that have decimated communities in the United States.
Campbell became involved in Mothers Out Front in October 2017 when she attended a meeting in Rochester. She has led the efforts in forming the Lakeshore group.
“We want people to know there is a growing number of community members who support the project,” she said. “We tell them how important it is to do something about climate change before it is too late.”
Campbell welcomes more members in the local group. For more information, send her an email at brighteyes563@yahoo.com.
MEDINA – Genesee Community College’s Medina Campus Center will welcome Warren Skye, an outreach specialist for the Adult Educational Opportunity Center, on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m.
Skye, a member of the Deer Clan from the Tonawanda Seneca Nation, will present “Indigenous Peoples: Echoes of History and Culture.” He has extensive experience in higher education as a faculty member for three Western New York colleges. With his passion and expertise in the areas of social work practice, cultural competency and indigenous issues, Skye is continuously shining light on the experiences of indigenous peoples in the region.
His talk will focus on the historical and cultural experiences of indigenous peoples from the Colonial period to the present with an emphasis on the Iroquois Confederacy and how listeners might consider placing themselves in the footsteps of native tribal men and women.
The Medina Campus Center is located at 11470 Maple Ridge Rd. This event is free and open to the public.
‘The simulation offers a unique glance into the lives of those living in poverty and perhaps leaves them with a little perspective, and an appreciation for what others might be going through.’
Press Release, Genesee Community College
BATAVIA – Employment rates, government benefit program statistics, healthcare costs and starvation statistics are everywhere. While more than 14 percent of the population in New York State is living in poverty, the Global Education Committee at Genesee Community College is doing more than facing the facts.
In the college’s nearly-full William W. Stuart Forum last week, the GEC hosted a very real simulation called “Disrupting Poverty” for students in Christine Belongia’s Teacher Education and Adolescent Development Classes, Karen Wicka’s Criminal Justice classes and Kari Heidemann’s and James Myers’ Human Services classes.
The simulation was designed by Missouri’s Community Action Poverty Simulation and facilitated by Juanita Henry, director of the Genesee Region Teacher Center and Pat Mullikin, director of the Tri-County Teacher Center.
“The simulation is not a game,” said Belongia, professor of Teacher Education and Humanities at GCC. “It’s an educational experience designed to heighten awareness, foster empathy and challenge assumptions surrounding issues of poverty.”
The poverty simulation positions several different family units, being role-played by GCC’s students, in the middle of a community typical of Genesee, Livingston, Orleans or Wyoming counties. During the one-hour simulation, each of the family units must manage expenses, attend meetings and appointments, and struggle to meet the overwhelming needs of their family for one month, played out in a series of four 15-minute weeks. Each family unit is given detailed lists of bills that must be paid, restricted income statements and limited sources with the task of making hard choices to survive living in poverty.
As in any community, there are resources and organizations available to the simulated family units that they can choose to visit – if they can afford transportation which was represented by having a paper “pass” bus ticket, cab voucher, or gas money for a friend or driver, all making the simulation even more realistic.
More than a dozen different resources were represented in the simulation by role-playing GCC students. At one desk, a bank offering loans and cashing checks; at another, a child care center with daycare expenses; and another with an employer offering jobs with specific shifts available. In addition, as in the real world, other desks held pawn shops, healthcare offices, pay-day advance agencies who charge high interest rates, and or course, homeless shelters and other resources for the severely destitute.
Throughout the simulation, students in the family units had to work together to plan and cover expenses, including food and shelter.
“If we buy these groceries today, how will we pay for daycare next week,” one student asked his family unit. “My paycheck plus your social security check is only enough to cover rent and electricity this month.”
The students in the family unit then researched their family situation and visited various organizations and resources to find ways to make ends meet.
“This simulation is powerful for our students,” said Dr. Karen Kovach-Allen, dean of Human Communications & Behavior at GCC. “Some of them live in poverty in the real world and this simulation is practice for knowing what resources are available and what choices they have. For others, the simulation offers a unique glance into the lives of those living in poverty and perhaps leaves them with a little perspective, and an appreciation for what others might be going through.”
This is the first time GCC students, faculty and staff have had a simulation experience on campus. The program is part of this year’s Global Education, “Food and Cultural Identity” theme. Beyond activities such as this, the Adult Educational Opportunity Center (AEOC) at GCC works to address issues of food insecurity on campus every day offering a variety of classes and raising awareness of available resources, including GCC’s Food Pantry available to students year round.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 November 2018 at 10:03 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – The mobile dental unit is pictured in July 2014 parked behind Oak Orchard Health at 301 West Ave. in Albion.
ALBION – The Oak Orchard Health’s mobile dental unit is currently at the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School in Albion until Nov. 30 and will go to Medina’s Oak Orchard Elementary School beginning on Dec. 3.
The dental unit provides dental services to local students and community members. Consent forms for students have been distributed. If students and their parents and guardians are interested in dental services, they should return the flier to the students’ teachers.
The mobile dental unit typically serves about 200 children at the Albion school district. They get teeth cleanings and dental exams.
Oak Orchard Health has been taking the unit to local school districts since 2005, serving several hundred children each year, cleaning teeth, doing sealants and extractions. If there is a more serious problem, such as a crown or root canal – which is rare for children – the child will be referred to have the work done at Oak Orchard’s dental offices in Brockport.
The unit debuted with Oak Orchard in 2004 and spent its first few months in Warsaw. Oak Orchard has since opened dental offices in Warsaw and also in Hornell, so the mobile unit doesn’t need to travel to those communities.
Having Oak Orchard dental services in Warsaw and Hornell also has allowed Oak Orchard to keep the unit in Albion when it isn’t visiting school districts.
Oak Orchard has dentists, a hygienist and a coordinator working out of the unit. The site has two dental chairs. It has its own hot water tank, and a sterilization unit to clean equipment and instruments.
Oak Orchard accepts Child Health Plus, Medicaid, other insurance and also has a sliding fee for people without insurance.
For more information on the mobile dental unit, call 585-267-9236 or click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 November 2018 at 8:39 am
10th annual Parade of Lights set for 6 p.m. Saturday in Medina
MEDINA – It officially started in September, when a company-wide email went around looking for ideas for the float in the Parade of Lights. Takeform Architectural Graphics entered for the first time last year and won the grand prize, creating a display of Medina landmarks that were lighted up on a flatbed trailer.
Takeform employees enjoyed making the float a year ago, and giving the community a glimpse on what the company makes at its Maple Ridge Road manufacturing plant. Takeform designs signs and creates architectural graphics for many hospitals and other businesses. The company started in 2003 with nine workers and now has 175.
“It brought awareness in the community to our company,” said Ellen Eaton, who works in human resources for Takeform and is on the parade committee. “We want to show the community that we’re here and this is what we do.”
Claire Owens, a Takeform employee, uses strips of clear tape to thatch grass on the roof of the tiki bar.
The process for a new float started with that email in September, soliciting ideas. However, many employees have been thinking of themes after last year’s parade ended in late November.
Employees sent in ideas and a parade committee liked the concept of a Tropical Christmas. Lindsay Minar, an experiential designer for Takeform, submitted that idea.
Takeform designed these characters for the tropical-themed float.
The committee saw a lot of possibilities with a Tropical Christmas. In the past two months, the Takeform employees have been designing pieces for the float, which will include a Santa on a surf board, riding a giant wave. They have created a tiki bar, palm trees and many other Christmas characters wearing Hawaiian shirts and shorts.
“Last year we built a float that was focused on the judges,” said Andrew Szatkowski, quality control manager for Takeform and one of the parade committee members. “This year I am excited for the children. This will be a bright and brilliant float.”
The employees have worked on the float when they get a few spare moments. It’s been busy at Takeform as the company is expanding. Takeform just moved into a new 15,500-square-foot addition to a 30,000-plus-square-foot building at 11601 Maple Ridge Rd.
Eaton said the company is always looking for talented and dedicated employees. Some applicants this past year said they learned about Takeform from last year’s float, Eaton said.
Andrew Szatkowski and Frank Bennett discuss how to best light up the panels for the float.
Designing and building the float is also a lot of fun, Szatkowski said. Employees will bring their children today and Saturday to set up on the float on the flatbed trailer. They are coming in on their own time because the Takeform factory is closed during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Szatkowski said Takeform encourages team-building among the employees. The company has a bowling tournament, 5K run, corn hole tournament and tailgate parties to boost camaraderie.
Takeform’s parade committee gave a sneak peek of the float on Wednesday to the Orleans Hub, but they didn’t want to show too much until the 6 p.m. parade on Saturday. They are also working through some challenges.
They have translucent panels mounted on 2-by-4’s. They are figuring out the best way to put lights in the panels.
Today and Saturday about 15 to 20 employees will be volunteering to set up the float on a 32-foot-long flatbed trailer.
“It has truly been a team function,” Szatkowski said.
Takeform won the grand prize in last year’s Parade of Lights by creating a scene of Medina on a flatbed trailer.
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80% of drivers expressed anger, road rage at least once in the past year
Press Release, AAA of Western and Central NY
While the holidays are usually a time of joy and cheer, getting ready for them can be stressful and overwhelming – especially if you’re rushing.
Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that nearly 80 percent of drivers expressed significant anger, aggression or road rage behind the wheel at least once in the past year. As holiday shoppers rush out for Black Friday and continue shopping throughout the coming weeks, AAA Western and Central New York is reminding motorists to pack their patience.
The most alarming findings from the AAAFTS study suggest that approximately 8 million U.S. drivers engaged in extreme examples of road rage, including purposefully ramming another vehicle or getting out of the car to confront another driver.
“Everyone wants the perfect gift for the holidays, and emotions can run high trying to find it,” said Elizabeth Carey, director of public relations at AAA WCNY. “Minor frustrations in parking lots or on the road can turn deadly when drivers take their anger out on other drivers.”
The National Retail Federation reported 66 million people shopped on Black Friday last year. With 54.3 million Americans traveling for Thanksgiving, the roads will be crowded with everyone trying to get to their destination.
Road rage includes purposefully tailgating; yelling at another driver; honking; making angry gestures; trying to block another vehicle from changing lanes; cutting off another vehicle on purpose; getting out of the vehicle to confront another driver; and – perhaps the most dangerous of all – bumping or ramming another vehicle on purpose.
AAA offers these tips to help prevent road rage this shopping season:
• Don’t Offend: Never cause another driver to change their speed or direction. That means not forcing another driver to use their brakes, or turn the steering wheel in response to something you have done.
• Be Tolerant and Forgiving: The other driver may just be having a really bad day. Assume that it’s not personal.
• Do Not Respond: Avoid eye contact, don’t make gestures, maintain space around your vehicle and contact 9-1-1 if needed.
Joint Press Release by Albion, Medina, Holley Police, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office & New York State Police
On Wednesday night beginning at 9 p.m. until 3 this morning, the Albion Police Department hosted and supervised a multi-agency Orleans County Wide DWI Saturation Patrol.
This detail combined the efforts from every law enforcement agency in the county along with New York State Parole, the Orleans County Probation Department and the U.S. Border Patrol.
The agencies involved consisted of the Albion Police, Medina Police, Holley Police, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Orleans County Probation, New York State Parole and the U.S. Border Patrol.
The detail results are as follows:
• DWI Arrests: 2 in the Village of Albion – (1 as Felony) (Albion PD), 1 in the Town of Murray (State Police), 1 in the Town of Yates (State Police)
The Albion Police Department and the other law enforcement agencies are committed to making the roadways safe for all those who travel upon them.
This is the fifth year a Saturation Patrol was conducted. Compared to previous years, this year’s detail had a comparable number of vehicle stops as previous years but the percentage of intoxicated drivers has decreased again from previous years.
The data from this year’s detail indicates that less than 4 percent of the motorists stopped were intoxicated, whereas in previous years we have seen data as high as 20 percent of the motorists stopped were intoxicated.
This is positive news in our efforts to reduce accidents caused by intoxicated drivers. The reduction of DWI arrests is a positive and motivating factor when these types of details are conducted.
Many believe that law enforcement want to make more DWI arrests during these details. However we like to see the opposite. Law enforcement stopped many people and found the overwhelming majority to be responsible and not under the influence of alcohol. We also encountered several intoxicated passengers with sober designated drivers.
Intoxicated drivers do not follow jurisdictional lines, so we decided that we would not either. The Albion Police Department and its partners are planning similar details for the future. We will continue to use every resource and tool available to create a reduction in offenders and arrest those who continue to endanger others by driving while intoxicated.
The commitment and dedication by the officers, deputies and troopers who worked the detail undoubtedly saved lives in Orleans County by making arrests and sending a clear message to deter others from Drinking and Driving.
– Roland D. Nenni III, Chief of Police for Albion and Holley police departments
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2018 at 8:58 pm
Falker family creates Avery’s Pearls, where people are welcome to leave a prayer request
Photo courtesy of Falker family: Avery Falker was born without kidneys and functioning lungs on Nov. 4. She was alive for about 2 hours after her birth. Many people have given elephant-themed gifts in her honor.
MEDINA – A Medina couple is grateful for the many cards and kind gestures they have received from the community since the death of their newborn daughter on Nov. 4.
“It helps to know you’re not alone and that people love you,” said Olivia Falker.
She and her husband Max Falker became parents on Nov. 4 to daughter Avery. She was born without kidneys and functioning lungs. She also had a tumor on her head.
Before the birth, doctors detected the lack of kidneys and the tumor. They feared her lungs weren’t developed because there was low amniotic fluid.
She was born a month premature and weighed 4 pounds, 9 ounces. She was able to breathe for about 15 minutes on her own after her birth at 11:21 a.m.
She passed away at 1:05 p.m. Her funeral service was Nov. 11. Mr. Falker dug his daughter’s grave at East Shelby Cemetery, an act of love for Avery.
In August, the couple learned Avery wasn’t expected to live long after her birth. The Falkers last month announced their plan for Avery’s Pearls. It’s a spot in a wooden hut in their front yard on Pleasant Street in Medina where people are welcome to leave a prayer request, read the Bible and seek peace. They are urged to note a Scripture in the Bible that helped them through a difficult time. The Falkers will often have hot chocolate and coffee for the visitors.
Avery’s Place was unveiled on Nov. 4 and will be available through the Christmas season.
The Falkers have a Korean fir next to the hut and people are welcome to leave an ornament on the tree in memory of a loved one. The tree will eventually bear purple pine cones. Mr. Falker will give the tree a permanent spot on the property.
People have left ornaments, cards and many prayer requests since the Avery’s Pearls was made available about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Many say they are praying for the Falkers. Many have shared their own stories of loss, including the death of a newborn.
Mrs. Falker, 23, said she didn’t know so many people in the Medina area have endured the loss of a child or suffered other heartache.
Many people have left ornaments, cards and other signs of love for the Falker family.
She believes Avery has brought together many people in the community, and inspired them to share some deep wounds. Falker is hopeful those people can find healing, too.
“It’s about helping other people because we have had so many people help us,” she said today at her home.
The couple has received at least 200 cards since their daughter’s death. Many people have dropped off meals, ornaments for the tree, and helped in other ways to honor Avery’s short life. Mr. Falker cited the efforts of one friend who worked overnight to create a wooden cross for Avery’s grave.
During her pregnancy, Mrs. Falker would dream about elephants, a symbol of strength, honor and stability. Many people have left elephant-themed ornaments and gifts in Avery’s honor.
Falker, 30, said he is amazed by the kindness of so many in the community.
“There’s a lot of good people out there,” he said. “We have met so many good people.”
He praised the efforts of the doctors and staff in the neonatal intensive care unit at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester.
“The doctors and nurses in the NICU are some of the best people you’ll meet in your life,” Falker said.
The Falkers met at the East Shelby Community Bible Church, where they remain active members. The church has been very supportive in consoling the couple and honoring Avery, they said.
The Falkers will move Avery’s Place to their backyard after the holidays, and then they expect to bring it to the front yard again next year so people can again leave their prayer requests.
“My hope is we can do it yearly and honor Avery,” Mrs. Falker said. “It can be useful to others. We want to continue to encourage people to leave prayer requests and to read the Bible.”
ALBION – The New York State Police in Albion working along with the NYS DEC and Orleans County Major Crimes Task Force have arrested a Michigan man for transporting large quantities of marijuana into Orleans County.
On Tuesday at approximately 12 p.m., Troopers out of Albion observed a Dodge pickup truck operating on Route 63 in the Town of Shelby with heavily tinted side windows in violation of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law. Upon stopping the vehicle, the operator William Q. Nowak, 41, of North Adams, Michigan was found to possess over 100 grams of marijuana, a large quantity of concentrated cannabis in the form of edible chocolate and edible candies made with concentrated cannabis all within his vehicle.
Nowak was charged with the misdemeanor of criminal possession of marijuana in the 4th degree and the felony of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 5th degree. Nowak was arraigned in the Town of Shelby Court and remanded to the Orleans County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail pending further proceedings.
The simulation was designed by Missouri’s Community Action Poverty Simulation and facilitated by Juanita Henry, director of the Genesee Region Teacher Center and Pat Mullikin, director of the Tri-County Teacher Center.
