Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
Genesee and Orleans counties are excited to share CredibleMind, a new online tool to help residents take care of their mental health and overall well-being.
This platform is offered through a partnership between Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) and the Genesee and Orleans County Mental Health Departments.
CredibleMind offers easy-to-use, confidential, and trusted resources for anyone, whether they are dealing with stress, anxiety, depression or just want to support their mental wellness.
Residents can explore articles, videos, podcasts and self-check tools on more than 100 topics, including stress, relationships, sleep, mindfulness and grief. The platform works like a personal digital guide, using short assessments to suggest resources that fit each person’s needs and goals. It also helps residents connect with local mental health services.
“Taking care of mental health is an important part of overall health,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health Director of GO Health. “CredibleMind gives people a safe and easy way to get help anytime they need it.”
“We want to make it easier for people to get mental health care,” said Lynda Battaglia, Director of Genesee County Mental Health Department. “CredibleMind lets residents get help in a way that works for them. It can make asking for help less scary and more effective.”
“We want every resident to be able to take care of their mental wellness,” said Danielle Figura, Director of Orleans County Mental Health Department. “This partnership helps our community connect with mental health support, especially for people who may not know where to start.”
Residents can visit CredibleMind at Genesee-OrleansNY.CredibleMind.com to look at trusted resources, take self-checks, and find tools to support their mental health and well-being.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 January 2026 at 10:31 am
Photos courtesy of Tim Archer, Albion teacher
ALBION – The Sons of the American Revolution visited seventh-graders in Albion Middle School last week and discussed solider life and gear, important events, uniforms, weaponry and other topics.
The SAR promotes patriotic, historical and educational themes, while perpetuating the memory of Revolutionary War patriots. Promoting fellowship among their descendants, they seek to inspire the community with a reverence for principles of government foundered by our forefathers.
This year is the 250th anniversary of when the United States of America declared its independence.
Luci Borello and Sutton Sanders, Albion eighth-graders, are shown with members of the Sons of the American Revolution.
The two students are working on a burials’ list of Revolutionary War soldiers in Orleans County.
Tim Archer, service-learning teacher at Albion, also said students will be unveiling four roadside historical markers this year in the county that highlight local connections to the Revolutionary War.
The markers were funded through the Pomeroy Foundation.
Bruce Pritchett, a social studies teacher, and his students look over a rifle brought in by the Sons of the American Revolution.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 12 January 2026 at 8:36 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Andy Benz presided at the installation of officers of the Shelby Volunteer Fire Company.
Orleans County Clerk Nadine Hanlon installed officers of the Shelby Volunteer Fire Company’s Ladies Auxiliary Saturday night.
Hunter Sturtevant, left, and Zach Petry presented David Moden with a chief’s hard hat for his years of service.
MEDINA – Shelby Volunteer Fire Company and Auxiliary welcomed members and guests to their 57th annual installation of officers banquet Saturday night.
Jason Watts served as master of ceremonies, while his father Howard Watts and Auxiliary president Elaine Watts welcomed guests. The evening began with invocation and memorial service by chaplain Karl Haist Jr. Haist reported they had lost six members during 2025 – Tom Fuller, Jim Watts, Fred Filipowicz, Charles “Huck” Fuller, Edward Pray and Elroy Fuller.
The fire company also reported seven new members were added during 2025.
Andy Benz was the installing officer for the fire department. He said he considered the job as an honor.
“A few of the names stick out tonight,” Benz said. “In the past I had given out five chief’s awards and all five of them are still here tonight, and still dedicated.”
Fire company officers installed are president, Kirk Myhill; vice president, Howard Watts; treasurer, Tyler Root; assistant treasurer, Michael Saladeen; secretary, Kali Sturtevant; sergeant-at-arms, Dale Watts; chaplain, Karl Haist Jr.; assistant chaplain, Phil Keppler; and steward, Gary Watts.
Also, trustees – Nick DiCureia, for three years; Ron Smith, two years; and Bill Luckman, one year.
Firematic officers are chief, Zachary Petry; deputy chief, Hunter Sturtevant; assistant chief, Joe Kyle; firematic captain, Marcus Watts; firematic lieutenant, Alex Benz; EMS captain, Jake Quackenbush; and EMS lieutenant, Donnell Bennett.
County Clerk Nadine Hanlon installed Ladies Auxiliary members: president, Elaine Watts; vice president, Brianna Wheeler; secretary, Robyn Watts; treasurer, Lori Myhill; chaplain, Marian Fry; and trustees for one year, Sherry Wheatley; and two years, Mary Herbert.
Elaine Watts, left, president of the Shelby Ladies’ Auxiliary, presented flowers to dedicated members Lori Myhill, Robyn Watts and Marian Fry.
The presentation of special awards began with Howard Watts recognizing David Moden for 34 years of active duty. Moden was also presented with a chief’s hard hat by Hunter Sturtevant and Zach Petry.
Andrea Benz received the President’s Award for stepping up to work on the bylaws and chairing the Christmas party, while completing her teaching degree and planning a fall wedding.
“I can see her being a future president,” Howard said.
The Chief’s Award was presented to Mark Reigle, for consistently leading with his willingness to step up and serve.
Elaine Watts, president of the Ladies Auxiliary, said it was hard to single out one recipient for an award. Instead, she presented flowers to Lori Myhill, Robyn Watts and Marian Fry and announced she would take all the ladies out to eat.
(Left) Howard Watts, left, presents a certificate to Kirk Myhill for 50 years of membership to the Shelby Volunteer Fire Company. (Right) Jason Watts, left, and his father Howard Watts are ready to greet guests at Shelby Volunteer Fire Company’s 57th annual installation of officers banquet Saturday night. Jason served as master of ceremonies, while Howard welcomed guests.
Moden recapped the fire company’s activity in 2025, announcing their 240 calls was fewer than in recent years. Fifty-one percent of the calls were EMS and 16 percent were mutual aid.
Moden also recognized the top 10 responders for 2025. They are Zach Petry, 75% or 181 calls; Moden, 75%; Howard Watts, 67%; Chris Stacewich, 63%; Jake Quackenbush, 52%; Hunter Sturtevant, 47%; Ed Quackenbush, 44%; John Rotoli, 43%; Alex Benz, 41% and Donnell Bennett, 36%.
For his efforts, Petry will receive an embroidered jacket.
“This level of commitment doesn’t happen by accident,” Moden said.
Moden also reported the fire company had received a $95,000 AFG grant last year which will be used to install vehicle exhaust stations. This year they plan to apply for a $300,000 grant to purchase new turnout gear.
Rounding out the evening was dinner catered by The Hilltop in Lockport and music by Beamin’ Sounds.
Members of the Shelby Volunteer Fire Company’s Ladies Auxiliary take the oath of office that was administered by County Clerk Nadine Hanlon.
U.S. Army National Guard photos by Stephanie Butler: Army National Guard Major General Ray Shields, left, the adjutant general of New York, presents the guidon of the New York Air National Guard to Air National Guard Major General Gary Charlton II, during promotion and change of command ceremonies held on January 9 at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham. Charlton is now the commander of the 5,800 men and women of the New York Air National Guard, the largest Air Guard component in the nation.
LATHAM, NY – An Air Guard officer who started as an enlisted Airman and served in the Persian Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan, assumed command of the New York Air National Guard during a ceremony on Friday at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham.
Major General Gary Charlton II, who has also commanded the New York Air Guard’s 107th Attack Wing in Niagara Falls, and the 105th Airlift Wing in Newburgh, now heads the largest Air National Guard in the United States.
Charlton, who lives in the Albany suburb of Loudonville, replaced Major General Michael Bank, who is retiring after 37 years of service.
He has been serving as assistant adjutant general, Air for the New York National Guard and will now serve simultaneously in both assignments.
Charlton was promoted from one-star brigadier general to two-star major general before assuming command of the New York Air Guard.
Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York, and the presiding officer for the ceremony, said Charlton was the “right leader” to command New York’s Airmen.
“You have the opportunity to continue to build the New York Air National Guard and to take the organization to new levels of professionalism,” Shields told Charlton.
In his remarks, Charlton thanked his wife, Susan and his daughters, Megan and Ginger, as well as his extended family, for their support over the years.
“You have carried this career as much as I have,” he said.
Charlton said his years as an enlisted Airmen shaped his command style as an officer.
“Before I ever wore a commission, I wore stripes,” Charlton said.
“I learned that the best ideas often come from the flightline, the shop floor and the Airmen who make the mission happen,” he said.
“Leader is not about a position, it’s about people, it’s about listening before speaking, serving before leading, and earning trust every single day,” Charlton told his audience.
The members of the New York Air Guard are the “embodiment of versatility and excellence,” he said.
Air National Guard Major General Gary Charlton II has new two-star general stars pinned on by his daughters during promotion and change of command ceremonies held on Jan. 9.
Charlton, who is a command pilot with more than 3,400 hours in a variety of aircraft, started his Air National Guard career by enlisting in the 174th Fighter Wing at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, in 1990 as a fuel system technician. He deployed with the wing’s F-16s to the Middle East in 1990/ 91 as part of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.
In 2000, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and became an F-16 pilot. Charlton served in the 138th Fighter Squadron and made the transition from the F-16 to the remotely piloted MQ-9, when the 174th converted to an attack wing from 2010 to 2012.
Charlton served as the commander of the 138th Attack Squadron before being reassigned to the 107th Attack Wing at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. He served as the command of the wing’s operations group and then wing vice commander before commanding the 107th from 2018 to 2022.
From 2022 to 2024, Charlton served as commander of the 105th Airlift Wing, the C-17 Globemaster III unit based at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh. He was promoted to brigadier general in June of 2022, while leading the 105th Airlift Wing.
He left command of the 105th in 2024 and served briefly as the director of operations for the Air National Guard Bureau’s operations section, before returning to New York to assume his current position.
Charlton holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Columbia College and is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College. He is a graduate of the National Security Studies Program at Syracuse University and the General and Flag Officer Seminar conducted by Harvard University.
Charlton’s military awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal the Air Medal. The Aerial Achievement Medal and campaign medals for his military deployments.
The New York Air National Guard, with over 5,800 Airmen serving in five air wings and the Eastern Air Defense Sector is the largest Air National Guard in the country.
The New York Air Guard also includes the 109th Airlift Wing at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia, and the 106th Rescue Wing at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard base in Westhampton Beach.
The Eastern Air Defense Sector is responsible for the air defense of the United States east of the Mississippi as part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 January 2026 at 7:52 pm
Provided photos: Th winning teams in the Medina Rotary Cornhole Tournament on Saturday at Dubby’s Tailgate in Albion included, from left: A bracket – Jimmy Youmans and Colin Hodet; B bracket – James Findlay and Shawn Murray; C bracket – Jeff Koch and David Leake.
ALBION – The Medina Rotary Cornhole Tournament again drew a big response from top cornhole players in the region and beyond on Saturday with 89 teams vying for $5,000 in prize winnings.
Saturday was the third time Medina Rotary has put on the event at Dubby’s Tailgate. The teams were divided into three brackets.
The payouts included A bracket (top players) – $1,300 for first, $750 for second, and $500 for third.
B bracket – $750 for first, $500 for second, and $250 for third.
C bracket – $500 for first, $300 for second, and $150 for third.
The tournament was expected to raise about $5,000 for Medina Rotary. Each team paid $90 to compete in the tournament. Sponsorships and a 50/50 raffle at $1,200 also boosted the amount for Rotary, which gives the money back to causes in the community.
Medina Rotary President Randy Reese said the tournament has proven to be a fun activity for the cornhole players and a good fundraiser for the Rotary Club.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Some of the cornhole take warmup tosses before a game on Saturday. Each team played four rounds before going into a double-elimination playoff. There were some pro players from Canada and also the American Cornhole League among the participants in the tourney.
Tyler McClary, who is part of a team with Mike Beach of Albion, competes in the tournament on Saturday.
Dubby’s hosts a winter cornhole league on Wednesday evenings that started last week. Click here for more information on the league.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 January 2026 at 11:04 am
Finger Lakes Community College, Jacksonville State University, SUNY Canton and Southern New Hampshire University note academic achievers from Orleans
Four colleges have recently notified the Orleans Hub of students from Orleans County who made either the Dean’s List or President’s List for the fall semester.
• At Finger Lakes Community College in Canandaigua, there are 973 students on the Dean’s List, maintaining at least a 3.5 grade point average for the semester.
Those students include Rachael Howard of Albion, Bryan Hardenbrook of Kendall, and Addison Paul and Julian Woodworth of Medina.
• Seagan Christine Majchrzak of Medina has been named to Dean’s List at Jacksonville State University in Alabama.
To be named to the Dean’s List, students must earn a 3.5-3.99 GPA for the semester while completing at least 12 GPA hours of course credit.
• Two students from Orleans County were named to the President’s List at SUNY Canton with GPAs of 3.75 or higher.
Lakshia Johnson of Albion and Lorelei Sanders are both Legal Studies majors.
• Two from Orleans also were named to the President’s List at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, NH.
Andrea Sanchez Vargas of Holley and Nordia Campbell of Albion both had GPAs of 3.70 or higher.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 January 2026 at 10:11 am
Apex will focus on site work in 2026 before 28 turbines constructed next year
BARRE – The first phase of construction is expected to start next week for a high-profile project that has been 10 years in the making.
Apex Clean Energy will start clearing about 30 acres of trees next week in Barre. Apex has hired Ironwood Heavy Highway in Rochester for the job of clearing trees. Ironwood is expected to start cutting down trees on Jan. 19. The job should take a few weeks with work limited to between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., said Carmen O’Keefe, the director of development, and Brian O’Shea, director of public of public engagement for Apex Clean Energy.
Apex is owner and developer of the Heritage Wind project in Barre, which will have the capacity to produce 126 megawatts of electricity.
The tree clearing is limited to no later than March 31 due to the presence of federally listed bats.
There will be a full mobilization of about 200 construction workers in the community in May or June to work on installing access roads, turbine foundations and other site work, including construction of turn radiuses for the delivering of the turbine components.
The Heritage Wind project will have 28 turbines, and the turbines will be constructed in 2027 with the project expected to be operational in late 2027, O’Shea said. The turbines will be more than 600 feet high.
The project also includes 10.5 miles of access roads, one permanent meteorological tower, 25.2 miles of collection lines, a temporary construction laydown yard of approximately 13.9 acres, a temporary concrete batch plant (if needed), parking for construction workers, an operations and maintenance facility with two buildings totaling about 4,000 square feet, and one aircraft detection lighting system tower.
For maps and more details of the project, click here.
Once the project is operational, Apex will pay $9,000 per megawatt to local municipalities or $1,134,000 in the first year, with a 2 percent increase after that over 25 years.
Barre gets 75 percent of the money as part of a Host Community Agreement. The $6,750 per megawatt totals $850,000.
The remaining 25 percent or $2,250 per megawatt is evenly split by the school district and county. That is $140,175 each.
In addition, Heritage Wind will be paying $4.575 million administrative fees to the Orleans Economic Development Agency for administering the PILOT with the school district and county.
The project also will save the average Barre household $150 annually in energy bills through the first ten years of the project’s operations through NYSERDA’s Host Community Benefit Program, O’Shea said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 January 2026 at 9:01 am
State-wide the number of new cases dropped 43 percent
The number of new confirmed cases has decreased in New York State during the week ending Jan. 3, but the cases went up in Orleans County during that week, especially among those 60 and older.
State-wide, there were 28,554 laboratory-confirmed cases in the week ending Jan. 3, which is down 43 percent from 49,850 cases the previous week. This season there have been 269,433 laboratory-confirmed cases, according to the state Department of Health.
Flu hospitalizations is at 4,228 in the week ending Jan. 3, down 7 percent from 4,546 in previous week. So far this flu season 17,833 people have been hospitalized in New York State.
In Orleans County, the rate of cases is at 353.8 per 100,000 people, according to the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. That is up from 181.7 per 100,000 from the previous week, and 76.5 the week ending Dec. 20.
The rate for people ages 0-19 is at 226.1 in the week ending Jan. 3, which is down from 440.4 the previous week and 571.3 the week ending Dec. 20.
Overall, the rate of new confirmed cases in Orleans County is at 204.1 per 100,000 people. (The county’s population is the 2020 census was 40,343.) That 204.1 rate is up from the 196.5 in both the previous two weeks.
While the cases was up slightly in Orleans County, Genesee had a rate of new confirmed cases at 146.7 for the week ending Jan. 3. That was down significantly from the rate of 252 new cases the previous week and 239.9 from the week ending Dec. 20.
While the new cases were down statewide, in Genesee and Orleans counties the new cases increased from 217 for the week ending Dec. 20 to 224 in the week ending Dec. 27, according to the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.
In Genesee and Orleans counties the new confirmed cases was 166 for the week ending Jan. 3. That is down from 224 the previous week and 217 for the week ending Dec. 20, according to the local health departments.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 January 2026 at 7:38 pm
Powerful winds have again taking down more trees in Orleans County today, about 10 days after the county endured strong winds that took out electricity.
National Grid is reporting 747 of its customers in Orleans County are without electricity at about 7:30 p.m. Most of those outages were in Barre and Clarendon, as well as the Brockville hamlet of Murray. The electricity is expected to be restored by 11 p.m. today.
Genesee County has 1,826 National Grid customers without power, National Grid reported.
Local assemblyman seeks to split NYS into three autonomous regions
Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is announcing his re-election bid for State Assembly in the 139th District, which includes Orleans, Genesee and part of western Monroe County.
First elected in 2006, Hawley has an extensive record of delivering results for Western New York. As part of his platform, Hawley is reaffirming his long-standing support for granting Western New York greater autonomy from Albany’s downstate-driven agenda.
He has backed legislation to divide New York into three autonomous regions known as the New Amsterdam Region, the New York Region and the Montauk Region. Each region would have its own governor and legislature to better address local needs.
Hawley has also supported legislation to allow voters to weigh in directly through a statewide referendum asking, “Do you support the division of New York into two separate states?” Hawley is grateful for the continued support of Western New Yorkers and looks forward to continuing the fight for common-sense policies in Albany this November.
“At a time when the cost of living is at an all-time high and public safety is at an all-time low, Albany is in desperate need of common-sense voices,” said Hawley. “For too long, Western New York has been ignored by a downstate-driven agenda that does not reflect our values or priorities. That is why I have supported legislation to give our region real autonomy and allow voters to decide our future for themselves. With socialism gaining ground in this state and radical policies coming out of New York City, we need to act now to protect our freedoms and ensure Western New York has a real voice in its own governance.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 January 2026 at 9:03 am
The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a high wind warning for Orleans County today from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. There will be southwest winds from 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph expected. The strongest gusts will likely be between 3 and 7 p.m., the Weather Service said.
The high temperatures are forecast to reach 58 degrees today with showers. The overnight low will be 31.
The Weather Service said the high temps then include 41 with some rain on Saturday, 34 with some snow showers on Sunday, 34 on Monday and 40 on Tuesday.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 9 January 2026 at 8:54 am
Provided photo: The Transitional Care Unit team at Medina Memorial Hospital is celebrating a substantial increase in admissions during the past year.
MEDINA – With a nationwide health care crisis, Medina Memorial Hospital has seen the impacts first-hand right here in Medina, according to Scott Robinson, director of marketing.
As the aging population continues to grow, there are an increasing number of challenges for the community, according to Robinson.
Among them is providing needed care and more services in the immediate area. One of those is the ability for members of the community to have access to rehab close to home. During the last year, the Transitional Care Unit at Medina Memorial hospital has seen admissions increase from 244 in 2024 to 308 in 2025, an increase of 26 percent, while referrals for subacute rehab have increased by 37 percent.
“I think it goes to show the reputation our TCU team has achieved with other hospitals and within the community,” Robinson said.
The hospital’s TCU program supports patients referred from other hospitals, as well as those admitted through Medina hospital’s Emergency Department for acute care or observation, who require subacute rehabilitation. Once a patient is medically stable for subacute rehab, they can be converted to the TCU services.
“We have been able to create relationships with more specialty groups, such as infectious disease and orthopedic physicians, which results in higher referral volumes,” Robinson said.
Robinson added they have a robust team at Orleans Community Health that is working to make sure the care being provided is top notch. The team includes care management, physical therapy, infection control, PCUII (Progressive Care Unit 2nd floor), housekeeping, dietary, finance and others.
“Medina Memorial Hospital continues to build a reputation – it’s the place to go for subacute rehab and the place to go to get better,” said Randi Ingersoll, director of Care Management at Orleans Community Health. “It has been a privilege to provide TCU services to more than 300 community members in 2025, and we are eager to see continued growth here at OCH.”
“The entire team deserves a great deal of credit, as Randi shared,” Robinson said. “She highlights the strong support being provided across teams. Although growth of this nature can challenge operations, departments remain closely aligned to keep things running seamlessly. It speaks volumes about the dedication of everyone involved in providing exceptional care.”
The team celebrated the gains on Wednesday and are coordinating to determine ways they can continue to improve the patient experience for those receiving care at Medina Memorial Hospital’s TCU.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 January 2026 at 8:31 pm
26 class members will learn about different sectors of county throughout 2026
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Leadership Orleans Class of 2026 kicked off its year of exploration in Orleans County with an opening day retreat today at Fairhaven Inn.
Pictured, front row, from left: Patti Doyle, Ashley Sutherland, Meghan Bevins, Jenai Walker, Krista Dhow and Will Gregoire.
Second row: Pam Wadhams, Ciara Silversmith, Hana Robinson, Rachel Frasier, Darelyn Songer and Brandon Smith.
Third row: Brett Sobieraski, Geen Henry, Lisa Elschker, Susan Thaine and Dr. Taweepon Farrar.
Back row: Sara Flansburg, Jake Weller, Terry Kingdollar, Tim Smith, Gabriella Bottorff, Timothy Dunham, Craig Lane and Chris Hughes. (Missing from photo: Valerie Wells and Amy Crandall.)
Skip Helfrich, executive director of Leadership Orleans since the program started in 2018, discusses different leadership styles during the opening retreat today.
Some of those styles in the “DISC” profile include dominant controller, cautious analytical, influencing promoter, and steadfast supporter.
The “dominant controller” tend to be very determined and decisive, and “results oriented,” Helfrich said, and are often CEOs, entrepreneurs and people who excel at sales.
The “cautious analytical” are very thorough and organized and are often engineers and accountants.
The “influencing promoter” bring lots of ideas and energy and are often politicians, artists and debaters, Helfrich said.
A “steadfast supporter” is a team player and collaborator, often people who excel in human resources, service jobs and as union reps.
Each of the class members did a DISC profile to see where they landed. Helfrich discussed how the different types of people can often clash, and often help each other when they appreciate their different skill sets and styles.
Fairhaven Inn hosted the opening retreat which continues on Friday. This is the ninth class of Leadership Orleans. In the first eight years, 203 people graduated from the program.
The new class of 26 members will spend a year learning about the county and themselves.
The class represents several sectors in the community, including agriculture, education, human services, government, business, a church and volunteerism.
The program aims to build the “citizen capital” of the community, helping develop leaders who are educated on the many facets of the community.
The class will meet monthly, building leadership skills and gaining knowledge, experiences and meeting people from many different sectors in the community. The class will spend different days focused on agriculture, non-profit organizations, government services, small and larger businesses, law enforcement, tourism, arts and culture, community health and economic development.
The group typically visits about 40 sites around the county and hears from about 50 presenters.
The program receives a stipend from the county, and there are many sponsors of programs throughout the years. The class members also pay tuition to be in Leadership Orleans.
This year’s class members include:
Meghan Bevins, assistant director of Orleans County Office for the Aging in Albion
Gabriella Bottorff, food safety coordinator for Lake Ontario Fruit in Albion
Amy Crandall, assistant vice president Generations Bank in Medina
Patti Doyle, art engagement director for GO Art! in Batavia
Krista Duhow, learning coordinator at Medina Central School
Timothy Dunham, executive director of human resources at Orleans/Niagara BOCES
Lisa Elschker, human resource generalist at Community Action of Orleans and Genesee
Dr. Taweepon Farrar, district superintendent for Niagara/Orleans BOCES
Sara Flansburg, owner of Blissett’s Specialty Shop in Medina
Rachel Frasier, executive assistant for Western New Energy in Medina
Will Gregoire, mechanical engineer for Udderways in Albion
Geen Henry, assistant director of prevention for UConnectCare in Albion
Chris Hughes, director of district wellness at Medina Central School
Terry Kingdollar, family support specialist at Arc GLOW in Albion
Craig Lane, commissioner of public works for Orleans County
Hana Robinson, founder of World Life Adventures in Albion
Ciarra Silversmith, clinic manager at Orleans Community Health in Albion
Brandon Smith, loan officer at Farm Credit East in Batavia
Tim Smith, senior principal engineer at Baxter Medical in Medina
Brett Sobieraski, investigator for District Attorney’s Office in Albion
Darelyn Songer, secretary to Orleans County chief administrative officer
Ashley Sutherland, branch manager for M&T Bank in Lyndonville
Susan Thaine, pastor for First Presbyterian Church of Albion
Pam Wadhams, director of Headstart for Community Action of Orleans & Genesee
Janei Walker, HR manager at Baxter Healthcare in Medina
Jake Weller, network engineer for Info Advantage in Rochester
