LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Area Foundation has contributed $4,000 to students at Lyndonville School to pay for tuition for Genesee Community College through the ACE program.
This allows students to earn college credit for courses taken here at school. $4,000 in scholarship money will pay for 17 students to take one college class while they are dual enrolled in their high school classes.
Together with funding approved by the Lyndonville Board of Education, Lyndonville High School students will be taking a total of 56 college courses at no cost to students and families.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 November 2023 at 8:34 am
Khan ran Holley Pharmacy, now working with developer to bring in Dollar General with groceries
HOLLEY – Holley Mayor Mark Bower, left, presents the Mayor Vaughn Award to Sabir Khan during Tuesday’s Village Board meeting. In back are village trustees Rochelle Moroz and Jessica MacClaren. Khan is the sixth recipient of the award which was started by Holley’s mayor from 1976 to 1982.
Khan retired as a pharmacist and owner of Holley Pharmacy in 2014 after nearly 30 years in the village. He has continued to own the building for the former Jubilee and Save-A-Lot grocery store and is close to selling it to Dollar General’s real estate company. The deal is expected to close this month and would bring a DG Market to Holley. Those stores are Dollar Generals with fresh produce and more grocery items.
Mayor Bower said Khan is being recognized by the village for his long-term commitment to the community.
“He has always kept the best interests of Holley at heart,” Bower said.
Khan came to Holley in 1985, preferring to own his own business in a smaller community. He had worked for a large pharmacy chain in Binghamton, Batavia and then in Rochester.
In Holley, he expanded the pharmacy to deliveries, including local customers in the Holley and Kendall area. He would expand that to serving nursing home and healthcare sites. He had drivers in four vans delivering scripts from Medina to Palmyra.
Khan sold the Holley Pharmacy to Luke Miller in 2014. Miller started with Khan at age 16, stocking shelves and cleaning. He eventually became a pharmacist and owner of the business.
“He took me in at 16, gave me a job and taught me everything I know about pharmacy,” Miller said.
Miller sold the pharmacy in 2021 to CDS Life Transitions. He remains the manager.
Khan said he is grateful to the Holley community for making the pharmacy a success and for trusting him for so many years.
“I feel blessed that this town has been so good to me,” he said.
Khan lives in Brockport but spends the winters in Florida.
Sabir Khan said he is thankful for a career in Holley where the community supported his business. “You do your work honestly,” he said about his business philosophy. “You have to do the right thing by the people.”
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today voted in favor of H.R. 6363, the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, to avoid a government shutdown and prevent an irresponsible end-of-year Megabus spending bill.
This bill passed the House by a vote of 336-95. (Editor’s Note: The measure passed with 209 Democrats and 127 Republicans in favors, while 2 Democrats and 93 Republicans opposed it.)
Tenney’s statement follows:
“House Republicans have proven that we are committed to finding a path forward that reduces spending, secures our borders, and restores fiscal responsibility in Washington. I have worked tirelessly to fight wasteful spending and bloated omnibus government funding bills and return to considering appropriations bills with amendments under regular order. Regular order means passing each of the 12 federal appropriations bills individually in an open and transparent process. For many years, Congress has forced through massive omnibus spending bills that have undermined the legislative process and have cost taxpayers billions on wasteful programs.
“House Republicans have now considered 11 of 12 appropriations bills through regular order. We are changing how Washington works and restoring the People’s House to regular order in order to fairly represent the American people. I voted in favor of this Continuing Resolution because it continues to fund the government and our military on a short-term basis while granting the House Republicans more time to truly tackle the fiscal problems plaguing the American people.
“This legislation will avoid a government shutdown and ensure that the service members at Fort Drum, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, Customs and Border Protection Agents, TSA agents, and all critical federal agencies serving across New York’s 24th District will continue to operate in the next two months. In addition, shutting down the government would have cost the American taxpayers more in the long run, raised our already historic national debt, and led to another Christmas omnibus monstrosity, resulting in even more reckless federal spending.
“By passing this CR today, we are able to pass the remaining fiscally conservative appropriations bills to provide the relief that the American people need, reaffirm Congress’s power of the purse, and refocus our government to its core mission: to serve the American people and defend the Constitution.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 14 November 2023 at 6:01 pm
MEDINA – The Orleans County Joint Veterans Council received two generous donations Friday toward the purchase of another van for the Veterans’ Van Service.
The van service has six vans, one of which is currently out of service for much-needed repairs, and needs to replace several more, according to Phyllis Schrader, who coordinates the van service for Orleans County veterans.
The donations were from the Butts-Clark American Legion Auxiliary, who presented a check for $2,000 to Nancy Traxler, secretary of the Joint Veterans Council, which operates the van service, and a $1,000 check from the Butts-Clark American Legion Post.
“This is pretty fantastic,” Traxler said. “Our drivers work so hard to make sure the veterans get to their appointments. Most of our veterans can’t drive any more. We always need donations and we always need more volunteer drivers, as well as volunteers in the office. You can work one day a week or two hours a week – whatever you can do will be helpful.”
“We are not looking to purchase a new van,” Schrader said. “But even used ones are expensive. The last one we bought in good condition with low mileage was $26,000.”
The Orleans County Joint Veterans’ Council received donations toward a new van Friday at the Butts-Clark American Legion Post. Shown here, Dave Kusmierczak, chaplain of the American Legion and Jim Wells, right, Legion commander, present a $1,000 check to Nancy Traxler, Veterans’ Service agent and secretary of the Joint Veterans’ Council and Phyllis Schrader, coordinator of the van service.
Schrader said they are still about $10,000 short of having enough money for another van.
She said, in reality, they need to replace more than one. Two of those in service were purchased in 2010 and one has 120,000 miles on it and the other more than 100,000. All are rusted. There is rarely a day when they don’t have a trip to Buffalo, Rochester or Batavia for a veteran’s medical appointment, and it is not uncommon to have two or three trips in one day.
Donations and more volunteers are welcome. Volunteers are not only needed as drivers, but to help with tasks in the office, such as filing or making calls to confirm appointments. Donations may be made by sending a check to Orleans County Joint Veterans Council, 13996 Route 31 West, Albion, 14411.
MIDDLEPORT – As the reigning 2023 Most Outstanding High School Agriculture Program in the Northeast Region of the United States, the Royalton-Hartland High School Agriculture Program and FFA Chapter was well-represented at the 96th National FFA Convention & Expo held in Indianapolis, Indiana!
Under the leadership of Matthew Sweeney, Roy-Hart’s Agriculture Educator and FFA Advisor, the Royalton-Hartland FFA Chapter sent 19 members to compete in five national Career Development Event (CDE) competitions.
Career Development Event competitions build on what is learned in agricultural education classes and encourage FFA members to put their knowledge into practice. These events are designed to help a member prepare for a career in agriculture by testing and challenging the student’s technical, leadership, interpersonal and teamwork skills, as well as their knowledge of the subject matter.
In FFA, there are 26 CDE competitions at the national level. To quality for these contests, the team or individual must place 1st in their state competition. Roy-Hart FFA is home to five state-winning CDE teams.
“To have a state-winning CDE team is a tremendous accomplishment, but to have five state-winning CDE teams, in the same year, is a true testament to the dedication, commitment, perseverance and passion of the Royalton-Hartland agriculture students,” Sweeney said.
Environment & Natural Resources CDE Team, from left: FFA advidsor Matthew Sweeney, Clara Wojciechowski, Anthony Adams, Joshua Kennedy and Nicholas Armenia.
In addition to the state-winning teams, Roy-Hart FFA is home to a gold-ranking (top 6 in the nation) Environmental Science and Natural Resource Management proficiency winner in Lorna Becker.
Results from the 2023 National FFA Convention & Expo CDE contests include:
Food Science CDE: Silver-Ranking Team (15th in Nation) – Team Members: Sean Labiak (Gold-Ranking), Sophia Santella (Gold-Ranking), Olivia Adams (Silver-Ranking), Lorna Becker (Silver-Ranking)
Farm & Agribusiness Management CDE: Silver-Ranking Team (16th in Nation) – Team Members: Phinn Cousins (Gold-Ranking), Caleb Verratti (Gold-Ranking), Scott Clark (Silver-Ranking), Kristopher Myers (Silver-Ranking)
Environment & Natural Resources CDE: Silver-Ranking Team – Team Members: Joshua Kennedy (Gold-Ranking), Nicholas Armenia (Gold-Ranking), Anthony Adams (Silver-Ranking), Clara Wojciechowski (Bronze-Ranking)
Nursery/Landscape CDE: Bronze-Ranking Team – Team Members: Vanessa Grant (Silver-Ranking), Nathaniel Wolf (Silver-Ranking), Garrett Armenia (Bronze-Ranking), Cayla Burch (Bronze-Ranking)
Marketing Plan CDE: Bronze-Ranking Team – Team Members: Mackenzie Diamond, John Konstanty, Ronan Klug
The Royalton-Hartland FFA Chapter would like to thank the continued support from the Roy-Hart Central School Board of Education and Administration, Royalton-Hartland Agriculture Foundation (RHAF), and the Roy-Hart school community. This support is integral to the local, region, state and national successes of the school’s agriculture program.
Food Science CDE Team, from left: Olivia Adams, Sean Labiak, Sophia Santella, Lorna Becker and FFA advisor Matthew Sweeney.
Project will open on Friday afternoon and serve as living memorial to Sydney Gross, a late UB architecture student
By David J. Hill, Director of News Content for University at Buffalo for Public Health, Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning, Sustainability
MEDINA – Even now, 14 years later, Joey Swerdlin fondly recalls the brief time he spent with Sydney Gross as classmates together in the bachelor’s degree program in the University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning.
“Sydney was such a happy person. Even in the dark depths of exhausting studio deadlines, Sydney always kept a smile and positive spirit,” Swerdlin said. “Her laugh and smile were infectious and she was always bringing people from different friend groups together.”
Gross was a promising student who completed the first year of the undergraduate architecture program at UB when she died following a car accident in July 2009.
In the years since, Gross’ family and friends established an endowed fund in her memory to support programs that encourage collaboration and community among architecture students, such as the biannual Sydney Gross Memorial Lecture, Alumni Symposium, and the Student Lounge.
The Sydney Gross Memorial consists of 23 precast concrete modules, weighing anywhere from several hundred to several thousand pounds.
Now, Gross’ family is providing support for a design-build project along the Erie Canal in Medina that will serve as a living memorial to Gross, capturing her vibrant artistic spirit while providing a space for public gathering and enjoyment. UB students are putting the finishing touches on it now in preparation for an official opening at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17.
The project has been in the works since 2022, and is being led by Christopher Romano and Joyce Hwang, faculty members in the School of Architecture and Planning who knew Gross well — she was a student in their classes. That connection has only deepened their desire for this to be a truly special project.
“We came to them with a vague and simple idea to create a playful space in Sydney’s name that would bring students and community together,” said Sydney’s sister, Stephanie. “The magnitude of the project is the result of the dedication and creativity of Joyce and Chris.”
Addsed Sydney’s mom, Lori Duckstein: “They never fail to exceed any expectation we might have. During her year at UB, Sydney spoke often about Joyce and Chris, the curriculum and why she was so lucky to be learning from them. I believed her then, but watching them define every stage of this project and their attention to every detail made it clear to me that Sydney could not have had a finer freshman year.”
Capturing Sydney’s fun spirit, love of architecture
“This whole project has been about trying to capture who Sydney was as a person and the energy she had when she was here. Although it emerged out of a tragedy, it has turned into something much more positive and endearing,” said Romano, an assistant professor of architecture at UB who is teaching the fall semester studio that is building the project.
“We’ve had this partnership for almost 15 years now. For me, this has always been something I’ve worked on with Joyce. It’s the biggest project we could have done together in honor of Sydney,” Romano said.
Hwang, an associate professor of architecture at UB, who, with Romano, co-taught the studio in the spring semester that laid the groundwork for the project to be built this fall.
“Our goal in the spring was to design something that would offer a combination of spaces to sit and reflect, as well as areas to play and socialize. Creating a space of wonderment and joy to embody the spirit of Sydney was important to us,” said Madeleine Sophie Sutton, a student in the Master of Architecture program who was part of Hwang’s studio.
The project is getting installed this week by the canal near the Big Apple, between the Glenwood Avenue canal bridge and lift bridge on Route 63.
The spring studio conducted several Zoom calls with Gross’ family and friends to learn more about who she was. “Fun” was the word Gross’ mother used most often. Above all else, Duckstein wanted the students to enjoy the studio experience in the same way her daughter did.
“We made a point to have fun in the studio, as a way to honor Sydney’s optimism, energy and excitement for the studio environment,” Sutton said. “We sought to embody her energy and love for all things playful through the design, and eventual construction of a living memorial. This project captures who Sydney was by the ways it invites people to play and have fun.”
Memorial will be part of larger project in Medina
The Sydney Gross Memorial will be situated on New York State Canal Corporation land along the Erie Canalway Trail in Medina, and will mark the much-anticipated beginning of a larger public art and recreation initiative by the New York Power Authority and New York State Canal Corporation’s Reimagine the Canals program.
The grand opening will be part of a coordinated announcement and is set for 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 17. In addition to Hwang and Romano, attendees will include Gross’ family and friends, UB students who have worked on the project, local high school students, local and state representatives as well as partners from different philanthropic organizations and art institutions involved in the waterfront development and public art planning in Medina.
Given that Gross was from the New York City area, Medina may not at first appear to be a fitting locale for a project so closely tied to her. But the parallels are perfect.
For starters, the village’s master plan seeks to reimagine Medina as a destination for arts and culture along the canal. “Tying this to an art project was important for us because Sydney was a very artistic, free, creative spirit,” Hwang said.
While it is being designed as “a living memorial” to Sydney, the space itself is intended to facilitate a sense of community and public activity. It will be a vibrant recreational space to be enjoyed not only by Medina residents, but anyone who bikes, walks or jogs along the canal while being easily accessible to UB.
“Ultimately, it’s the perfect representation of Sydney,” said Ryan Edwards, a second-year Master of Architecture student who has been a part of both studios. “It’s a project in a community that she has no relation to, but she’s going to be bringing people together in a fun way.”
The pieces are getting set in place.
Rethinking what a memorial is
Hwang challenged her students to rethink the concept of what a memorial is. “When you think of the word ‘memorial,’ it often conveys commemorating something that was lost,” she said. “But Sydney’s family and friends were adamant that this not be a somber place. It’s a place that will promote joy and community.”
The Sydney Gross Memorial consists of 23 precast concrete modules (the “Units”), weighing anywhere from several hundred to several thousand pounds. Students spent several weeks working on the initial molds and steel reinforcing in the School of Architecture and Planning’s SMART Factory and the Fabrication Workshop, under Romano’s direction with assistance from shop directors Steph Cramer, Wade Georgi and Julia Hunt. The molds were then cast in concrete at Southside Precast Products in Buffalo.
The Units — think of them as urban furniture — are arranged primarily in three clusters and stack together like masonry building blocks.
Edwards is excited about how the community will interact with the memorial. “If you want to just go and sit and eat lunch and watch the sunset, it’s perfect for that,” he says. “Or if you’re a 6-year-old, you can jump all over it and have a ball. People can experience it however they want to, but the overarching theme of it is ‘fun.’”
The project has benefited not only from the Gross family funding, but also through numerous in-kind donations, a joining of forces of people working to achieve a goal for the community, including Nicole Sarmiento, an adjunct faculty member and recent UB alumna who worked with Hwang and Romano over the summer to finalize the design drawings.
“It has been an amazing experience to be involved with a project that means so much to so many different groups of people,” says Sutton.
While it is being designed as “a living memorial” to Sydney Gross, the space itself is intended to facilitate a sense of community and public activity.
Swerdlin is astounded by the number of people who have been involved in bringing the project to life. A 2013 UB graduate, Swerdlin has had an active role in the project, from the very early stages of brainstorming, to serving as a juror for the spring studio, and now, as a professor teaching a seminar focused on telling the story of the project.
“One thing that has been sticking with me is recognizing that so many dozens of people are involved in the project’s creation and hundreds and thousands will eventually interact with it once it’s installed, says Swerdlin.
“Through each laugh, smile and interaction, Sydney’s memory is being celebrated, and she continues to make an impact on people’s lives in a positive way. She would be so incredibly happy to see how her professors and students have had so much fun bringing this project to life and knowing it will bring joy and peace to so many people.”
Project Sponsors
The Sydney Gross Memorial Fund provided funding for the project. Materials and labor were donated from corporate partners, and the New York Power Authority supplied summer funding.
Project sponsors include: Southside Precast Products, Alp Steel, Thermal Foams, Buffalo Concrete Accessories, Rigidized Metals, Kistner Concrete, Holcim Concrete, Shelby Stone and the Lions Club of Medina.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 November 2023 at 11:45 am
Albion agrees to pay 52% or $155K of contract for 7 towns
Photo by Tom Rivers: Albion resident Jason Dragon shares concerns about a new contract with Monroe Ambulance which Dragon tells the Albion Town Board disproportionally burdens Albion taxpayers among the seven towns in the agreement.
ALBION – The Town Board voted unanimously, 5-0, on Monday evening to pay $155,820 to Monroe Ambulance in 2024, which is up from the $84,400 Albion paid the Rochester-based company in 2023.
Albion is one of seven towns in an agreement with Monroe Ambulance to be the primary ambulance provider in central and eastern Orleans.
The seven-town consortium is basing each town’s share on the percentage of calls in the seven towns. Albion accounts for just over half of the total calls, which is why Albion will be paying $155,820 or 52 percent of the total cost to have Monroe station an ambulance in Albion 24 hours a day, seven days a week and one in Holley for at least 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Monroe also will draw on ambulances in Monroe County if there is a need in Orleans County.
The Barre Town Board was the first of the seven towns to approve the contract. Barre voted last Wednesday to pay $13,740 in 2024, which is up from the $8,000 in 2023.
The seven towns didn’t have to budget any money for ambulance services until 2023. Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance sought municipal support for years but the towns declined. COVA has since folded with Mercy EMS taking over that base in Albion and keeping many of the COVA employees. Mercy responds to some calls in Orleans, but also provides ambulance services in Genesee County, Hamlin in Monroe County, and Niagara County.
Albion Town Supervisor Richard Remley said the seven towns plan to put out an RFP (Request for Proposals) next year and will take the lowest bid from a qualified ambulance provider. He anticipates the RFP will go out in mid-2024.
The seven towns wanted to stay with Monroe, which started operations in April 15, with an ambulance based out of the Albion Town Hall and highway garage. Remley said a full 12 months-plus of data will be available in mid-2024 to help the towns plan for the future with ambulance services and contracts.
Jason Dragon, an Albion resident, said Albion is disproportionately bearing the burden of the contract. He said it should be based on the taxable value of each town, which would then have Albion paying 18 percent of the cost, or by percentage of population, which would put the burden on Albion at about 25 percent.
Basing it on call volume, when Albion has a nursing home and two state prisons, is unfair to Albion, which Dragon said already pays far more of its share in local taxes, especially for the village property owners.
“I don’t see how assessing towns by call volume is the most fair way,” Dragon said at the Town Board meeting. “This is an undue burden. We’re making it more and more expensive for the people of the Village of Albion.”
The additional costs for the ambulance is a big factor in the taxes going up in Albion in the 2024 budget that was approved on Monday.
The tax rate for property owners outside the village will be will be $7.45 per $1,000 of assessed property, which is up from $6.27 in 2023 and $4.17 in 2022. For a $100,000 property outside the village, taxes will increase $118 next year and are up $328 in two years.
The town tax rate for village property owners will be $5.39 per $1,000 in 2024, up from $4.69 in 2023 and $3.09 in 2022. Towns taxes for village property with a $100,000 assessment will be up another $70 in 2024, and increased $230 in two years.
“I’m concerned about the rate increase,” resident William Gabalski told the Town Board.
The town tax rate actually went down from 2009 to 2020, he said, but has now doubled in four years.
“We have very high taxes,” he said.
Highway Superintendent Michael Neidert said the highway department is managing OK in sharing some space with Monroe Ambulance. He suggested the Town Board try to get some money from Monroe to help with the utility costs with the building. Remley, the town supervisor, said he would ask Monroe if the company would contribute to those expenses – heat, electric and other utilities.
“It is cramped,” Neidert said about the shared space. “It is an inconvenience to us and them.”
Here is what the Monroe contract calls for each of the seven towns to pay in 2024, with the amount they paid in 2023 in parentheses.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 November 2023 at 9:18 am
HOLLEY – The owners of the Colehill, a 19th century Italianate home on North Main Street, have been recognized with the “Historic Home Award” from the Landmark Society of Western New York.
Chad and Alana Fabry have owned the home since 1995. They were honored on Sunday during the Landmark Society’s annual awards presentation.
The Fabrys have spent nearly 30 years working on the house, bringing it back from a state of “benign neglect,” the Landmark Society said.
“The home has been completely restored, inside and out,” the Landmark Society said in its citation. “As a historic home inspector, Chad is no stranger to historic preservation, and no project is too big or too small. Outside, they’ve replaced the roof, repaired the original eave brackets, crafted new dentils, and rebuilt parts of the wraparound balcony on the second floor.”
The Fabrys have grained all the doors inside the house, cast replacement ceiling medallions and light fixtures, repaired window sashes, and preserved original wallpaper.
“The kitchen, which is in the original part of the house built in the early- to mid-1800s, features a kitchen countertop made from reclaimed marble bathroom stall walls,” the Landmark Society noted. “Another room contains a fireplace from the demolished Strathallan Hotel in Rochester that came in 50 individual pieces. The home is beautifully decorated and filled with unique furniture and antiques.”
Chad and Alana also were commended by the Landmark Society for adding beautiful gardens, a koi pond, a dramatic pergola and a small blueberry farm at the site.
For more on the Landmark Society awards, click here.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 14 November 2023 at 8:48 am
KNOWLESVILLE – Homemakers who participated in Stone Soup classes at Cornell Cooperative Extension at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, not only learned to cook, but they had fun doing it.
Sarah Martin, SNAP Ed nutritionist, dons her chef’s hat for the last Stone Soup class.
Stone Soup was a program funded by a grant for Community Action of Orleans and Genesee and Cornell Cooperative Extension from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York’s Blue Fund. The grant was secured by United Way of Orleans County.
Twenty-three individuals participated in the seven-week class, in which they learned new, healthy recipes and how to cook nutritional meals.
Patricia Hurd of Bergen is a single mother of five, who said it was interesting to learn new recipes. She also learned how to read labels and tell what ingredients are good and what are bad. Her son Harlow, 11, attended some of the classes with her and neither had ever eaten kale or spinach before. They loved the quesadillas they made with turkey, spinach, kale and cheese.
Gail Starkweather of Carlton signed up for the class because she wanted to do something cool. Her table included Tina Marie Boardway of Lyndonville, Belle Bedard and Tammy Elder of Albion and Patty Giverson of Kendall. The ladies said they have all become friends.
Giverson said it may have been a long drive each week to attend the class, but it was worth it.
“I’ve gone home and prepared some of the recipes we learned for the girls I play dominoes with,” she said.
In addition to learning new, healthy recipes, the class participants each received a new Instapot.
From left, Gail Starkweather of Carlton, Tina Marie Boardway of Lyndonville, Belle Bedard and Tammy Elder of Albion prepare ground turkey for their last meal in the Stone Soup class.
Sarah Martin, rear, and Marie Gabalski, nutrition program coordinator at Cornell Cooperative Extension, prepare for the final class of Stone Soup, a program funded by a grant from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York’s Blue Fund.
MEDINA – On November 7, the Medina Lions Club held its monthly dinner meeting at the Junior Wilson Sportsman Club. This meeting was also our Thanksgiving celebration, and 42 members attended.
Our guest speakers for the evening were Jesse Cudzilo Orleans County YMCA executive director; Katie Cudzilo, Caregivers Revitalize coordinator; and Noori Bibi, vice president Orleans County YMCA Board of Directors.
Jesse Cudzilo, a veteran, and community activist with a business background, enthusiastically shared many of the programs at the YMCA and other community sites. He indicated that the Y has 500 to 600 members. The Y has something for everyone. It is adult-centered and child-centered.
The Y has been remodeled and now offers an indoor playground, weight room, teen center, summer camp, and an area for community groups, such as the Girl Scouts, to meet. It also offers exercise classes such as Silver Sneakers, Spin Classes, Yoga, Rock Wall and baseball practice range classes. Various exercise equipment and personal trainers are available for workout sessions. The Y also offers the Child Watch program, which allows parents to have their children cared for while working out.
The Y offers innovative programs such as an after-school care program for children in Lyndonville and Medina. The program instills the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility and offers homework help, arts and crafts, science experiments, enrichment and a healthy snack.
Katie Cudzilo facilitates the “Caregivers Revitalize” respite program. This program realizes that families caring for older family members need and deserve a break. This program meets on Thursday afternoons. Check with Katie for the time and location.
Noori Bibi spoke about the Homeschool Extension Program. This program began small but now has 36 participants. It is for Pre-K through fifth-grade homeschoolers and meets on Tuesday afternoons. It enhances socialization and provides children with art, music and physical education.
We are fortunate to have this organization in our community. For more information about the Orleans County YMCA, visit www.glowymca.org. For more information about the Medina Lions Club, visit our Facebook page or our new website, www.medinalionsny.org.
KNOWLESVILLE – What do Fresh Custardy French Toast, Cherry Crumble and Double Layer Crunch Tacos have in common? They are all recipes that feature items grown or produced in New York and were among prepared recipes at this year’s Orleans County 4-H Produced in New York Contest held Nov. 4 at the 4-H Fairgrounds.
“Produced in New York is a silent cooking competition that celebrates NY State agriculture and promotes nutritious locally grown foods,” said Kristina Gabalski, Orleans County 4-H Program coordinator. “We hold our event the first Saturday in November each year, which is a great time to get inspiration for holiday cooking.”
The contest is open to all 4-Hers, including Cloverbuds, who are 5-7 years old. Volunteers evaluate each participant on their demonstration (cooking skills) as well as the taste and nutritional value of the finished product. Participants can move on to demonstrate their recipe in the 4-H Youth Building at the New York State Fair in August, Gabalski said. Twelve youth participated in this year’s event.
Thirteen-year-old Jackson McGrath of Medina says the event gives him an opportunity to show-off his cooking skills.
“I’m really competitive,” he said. Jackson made “One Pot Chili Mac” which featured produced in New York ingredients beef, tomatoes, peppers, and cheese. He said he learned about cooking noodles this year.
“It can take forever,” he observed. “I’ve used meat before, but not noodles.”
McKenna Richardson, 8, of Barre is already an experienced Produced in New York participant. She created “Your Corny Casserole” for this year’s event, which featured sweet corn, sour cream, cheese and butter.
Robin Botsford of Lyndonville is 12. She created Fresh Custardy French Toast which featured produced in New York ingredients, eggs, milk, cream, honey, and maple syrup for topping. Robin said she gained many new skills with this year’s recipe including using a skillet and the proper way to crack eggs, “I had to crack seven eggs for the French toast and separate them,” she said.
Evaluators applauded participants for the variety of techniques utilized and the many different flavors featured in the recipes.
Ginny Hughes of Lyndonville commended 4-Hers for the nutritional and menu planning information they provided with their entries, especially how they made each recipe their own, “and the beautiful presentation of the dishes,” she said.
Photo and information courtesy of Orleans County Legislature
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature recognized November as National Adoption Month as Legislator Fred Miller presented a proclamation to Teresa Elam-Zwifka, Director of Child & Family Services (left) and Lianna Sheffer, Supervisor of Preventative Services, of the Orleans County Department of Social Services.
National Adoption Month is a nationwide effort to educate the public and prospective parents on the struggles many adoption eligible children face in finding a family and how they can help. It is also a time to celebrate the countless adoption success stories that brought parents and children together. To inquire about adoption and foster care in Orleans County, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 November 2023 at 12:28 pm
BARRE – An Albion man was killed in a car accident on Sunday in Barre, after his vehicle overturned several times, State Police are reporting today.
Joshua Watkins, 32, was driving a 2007 Volkswagen westbound on East Barre Road at about 5:30 a.m. Troopers say he exited the roadway and the vehicle overturned several times in a field off the north shoulder of the road.
Watkins was the lone occupant of the vehicle. He was ejected and pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Orleans County Coroner responded, and an autopsy will be completed at Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office, State Police said.
Watkins was not wearing a seat belt, State Police said.
The State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation assisted in the investigation.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 November 2023 at 8:43 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
WATERPORT – These fishermen try to catch trout and salmon on Friday afternoon in the Oak Orchard River. They parked at the St. Mary’s Archers Club and fished in the oak Orchard.
St. Mary’s has room for about 50 vehicles to park each day at $10 a vehicle.
There were vehicles from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, Virginia and Michigan as anglers made the trek to catch the big fish in the Oak. Some fishermen also came from Croatia and France.
Mark Wildschutz (left), a longtime St. Mary’s Archers Club member, and Tom O’Hearn, the club’s president the past 8 years, stand outside the clubhouse at St. Mary’s, where the wood was stained. The club also has sided a pavilion, done concrete work, and made other improvements to the property.
“It’s the camaraderie,” said Wildschutz. “You meet all kinds of people.”
He lived in Texas for about five years before moving back to Orleans County, with the Oak Orchard River one of the big attractions. Wildschutz lives right around the corner from the Archers Club.
“For what we have here we’re pretty spoiled,” he said.
The Archers Club welcomed the anglers from mid-October until Sunday. The club typically makes its space available to visitors for a month during the fall fishing season.
Club member Howard Palmer was there everyday to open the gate on Clark Mills Road by 5 a.m. People can then fish until about 4 p.m.
St. Mary’s closed access to visitors during the Covid pandemic in 2020 but has welcomed them back since.
The club normally serves breakfasts and lunches, but was short on help this season and made coffee and hot chocolate, bagels and peanut butter and jelly available. O’Hearn would like to bring back the bigger meals next year.
O’Hearn has been a member for 28 years, first drawn to the Archers Club so he could go camping by the water with his son.
The club has 125 members who pay a $100 annual fee for access to the property.
The club hosts weddings and many parties for its members.
The Archers Club has a setup in a prime area of the county’s world renown fishery. Visiting anglers are happy to pay for access to the river.
Anglers are grateful for a calmer experience while fishing near the Archers Club. Up closer the dam, the fishermen said tempers often flare in the closer quarters, with fishermen bumping into each other.
“It’s combat fishing up by the dam,” said one fisherman named Nate from Pennsylvania.
He and a friend made a 6-hour drive to fish at the Oak Orchard. He and a friend named Matt try to come to Orleans County about three times a year.
They appreciate the Archers Club sharing their space with out-of-towners.
O’Hearn said the club realizes they play a big role in the county’s tourism, welcoming fishermen who they visit other local businesses.
