By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 April 2025 at 11:33 am
Small band of active members says the VFW provides important community service, camaraderie
HOLLEY – It was nearly 53 years ago when the VFW established a post in Holley with 36 charter members.
The group took over a former railroad freight station and created a safe haven for veterans of foreign wars to share in camaraderie and community service.
The post only has a small core of active members, and those who remain the backbone of the local VFW say they need a new generation to join and keep the post going.
“It’s very worthwhile,” Mark Morreall, the acting commander, said about the local VFW post. “We’d like to pass the torch.”
The VFW’s current commander, Todd Klatt, is a younger veteran who is deployed to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Klatt is a mechanic in the National Guard.
The VFW hosts a number of fundraisers – chicken barbecues, raffles and other events – to raise money to keep up the hall and give to veterans.
About three or four times a year Morreall goes to the NYS Veterans Home in Batavia distributing gift cards, pizza, chocolate and other presents for the veterans. He usually goes around Christmas, the Super Bowl, Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Morreall, age 69, joined the VFW 14 years ago when there were several members who were World War II veterans and others who served in Korea and Vietnam. But Morreall said many of those members have since passed away, and veterans from more recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan haven’t been joining the post.
“Our numbers are thing, very thin,” he said during an interview last week at the post at 8 Veterans Drive, just south of the railroad tracks off South Main Street. “It’s not just here. It’s the Legion, too.”
The Holley VFW Post includes a memorial by the front door to the nine soldiers from the Holley community who were killed during the Vietnam War. Those young men include: John P. Davis, age 30: David Duane Case, 20; Ronald P. Sisson, 23; Howard L. Bowen, 20; Gary E. Bullock, 24; Gary Lee Stymus, 26; George Warren Fischer Jr., 23; Paul Scott Mandracchia, 18; and David States, 21.
Dave Rearick, 78, has been active in the district leadership for the VFW, including as a commander. The district includes Orleans, Livingston, Wyoming, Genesee and Niagara counties. It has seen 10 posts close, going from 29 to the current 19, Rearick said.
“It’s happening all over New York State and the country,” Rearick said about posts struggling to have enough active members.
Membership at the post costs $30 a year and an application can be picked up by stopping by the VFW. The organization has 120 people on its membership rolls, but a small group of less than 10 does most of the work keeping the post going.
Will Silpoch, 72, has been the quartermaster for more than three decades, handling the duties of treasurer. He also served a two-year stint as commander of the post.
He said the organization needs more fundraisers to keep the finances in the right direction. The VFW has a chicken barbecue planned for June 14.
Mark Morreall, left, and Greg Miller check on a Vietnam era tank that has been outside the post since 2009. Shells around the perimeter need to be repainted and the site needs some landscaping. Morreall said it is getting more difficult for the aging members to keep up with all the work at the post. A plaque by the tank states “In memory of our brothers so they are not forgotten” and lists the nine young men from Holley killed in the Vietnam War.
Greg Miller, age 67, recently became more active at VFW and assists at many of the fundraisers and also in part of the honor guard that attends funerals for veterans including Tuesdays at the National Cemetery in Pembroke.
“I’m the youngest guy on the honor guard,” Miller said. “We’re trying to get a younger generation.”
Miller served 22 years in the navy, enlisted at the end of Vietnam. He also worked with Kodak and Gleason Works, jobs that took him all over the world.
He said he formed stronger bonds with his friends in the military than those at Kodak and Gleason Works.
“There is a certain camaraderie that you get in the service that you don’t get in the civilian world,” he said.
A display inside the VFW includes rifles used in war from the Civil War, World War I, World War II to Korea.
The post was established April 23, 1972 with founding members Charles R. Aldrich, David F. Arnold Jr., John E. Baker, Lewis B. Bowen, Edward F. Carlo, Anthony C. Fallato, Thomas J. Finnefrock, Donald C. Gaines, Charles L. Gunter, Raymond J. Hampson, Kenneth A, Ioannone,
Ivan S. Johnson, Roy S. Kerstetter, Peter P. Korn, Nicholas Mastramano, John V. McAllister, Robt. J. McAllister, Samuel S. McMillion, Frederick J. Newton, John A. Pera, David W. Perrier, Wayne C. Porter, George J. Robertson, Albert J. Sailus,
Roger E. Sargent, Frederick A. Smith, Ralph L. Smith, Dominick Tiberio, Donald J. Lavender, Richard E. Weader, William P. Rase, Harold M. Pratt, Jack W. Wilcox, George H. Bartlett, John W. Wilcox and John P. Bowen.
The VFW and two of the former Marine Corps League members are shown inside the hall at the VFW, which can be rented for $125 for events. From left in front include Ray Madigan Jr. and Tom Sietman from the Marine Corps League, and VFW leaders Mark Morreall and Dave Rearick. In back are Will Silpoch and Greg Miller.
One veterans’ organization based in Holley turned in its charter last year. The Marine Corps League was also based at the VFW. That group started about 20 years ago with 15 members but was down to three.
Ray Madigan Jr. and Tom Sietman, two of the last members, said the group wasn’t able to bring in new members to keep the organization going. Madigan said it became too difficult for the few members to keep up with all the tasks of running the organization, especially now that they’re older.
MEDINA – Natural Life Produce & Greenhouse, a long-standing Medina nursery/garden center, was purchased in October 2024 and has been re-branded under the name Medina Garden Center.
The husband and wife ownership team of Patrick and Rachel McCracken will run Medina Garden Center, which opens for the season on Saturday, April 26.
The McCrackens are excited to grow the business that Daniel & Irene Miller started almost 10 years ago. The new owners are thrilled for their community to discover what they have been working so hard on since acquiring the business.
“We spent the winter re-branding the business, adding a point-of-sale system, building a website & social media pages, and most importantly, learning how to grow on a large scale,” Patrick said. “The plants are looking beautiful, and we are so excited to connect with our customers this spring!”
Starting this Saturday, Medina Garden Center will be open seven days a week (Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.). The season is anticipated to last through June, but may end earlier or later depending on plant availability.
Physical gift cards will be available in-store and e-gift cards are available year-round on their website.
While Earth Day is designated as April 22 each year, the entire month of April is considered Earth Month.
While showing our planet some love is a good idea every day, this gives us a set time each year to carry out some activities that are both fun and environmentally friendly. So, this month, pick a couple of the below activities and get going.
• Help the little feathered friends in your backyard by providing them with some sustenance. That can look like upcycling a coffee can and filing it with birdseed or simply covering pinecones in peanut butter. Or, if you have a worn-out pair of shoes, nail them to a tree instead of throwing them away. They can serve as a bird feeder and a couple of birds can even nest there.
• Hollow out halves of oranges and/or grapefruits and fill them with birdseed. And, an added benefit – they are compostable!
• Heavy yarn can be used to hang any of your handmade feeders.
• Plant a pollinator garden to keep the pollination cycle running smoothly. Start by researching what specific local plants bird and butterfly pollinators are attracted to. Then, start planting!
• Learn to identify our local birds and then head out to do some birdwatching. Be sure to bring along binoculars and be extra quiet and respectful of the birds as you view them in trees and nests.
• Birdwatching can easily be turned into a nature hike to also view wildlife, trees and plants and to learn to be thankful for the environment around you.
Green Orleans holds its meetings the third Thursday of every month at 11:30 a.m. at Hoag Library in Albion. All are welcome!
If you have any questions, contact Green Orleans coordinator, Sr. Dolores O’Dowd at 589-1405.
NY banned plastic bags 5 years ago, but Tops still uses about 25 million paper bags a year
Press Release, Tops Friendly Markets
WILLIAMSVILLE – Just over five years ago, New York State implemented its Bag Waste Reduction Act, which prohibited retailers from providing single-use plastic carryout bags.
Today, a full five years later, companies like Tops Friendly Markets continue their efforts to encourage customers to make the shift to using — and remembering — heavy-duty reusable bags.
Prior to the ban, over 23 billion plastic bags were used in New York State every year. While the state’s legislation was designed to reduce and eliminate bag waste, some consumers have come to rely on paper bags to bring home their groceries.
Last year alone, shoppers visiting their local Tops used about 25 million paper bags. The most environmentally friendly and economical option remains heavy-duty reusable bags, which are available at checkout counters.
“Making the switch to reusable bags may seem like something small, but it makes a big difference when you consider our combined impact. Millions of New Yorkers are now using reusable bags, which has kept a tremendous amount of plastic from entering the waste stream and local landfills,” said Ron Ferri, President of Tops Friendly Markets. “We’re grateful to all our customers for bringing their bags when they visit our stores — with each visit, you’re protecting environmental resources and saving money.”
Paper bags can be recycled, but they still present issues for the environment. They require more energy to manufacture, causing the release of potential air and water pollutants. Paper bags are biodegradable, but they don’t break down easily in landfills which lack water, light or oxygen. Given their weight and size, paper bags also put more diesel trucks on the road to ship.
Heavy-duty reusable bags are better for personal budgets, too. Consider the normal weekly shopping trip. If you bring five reusable bags, rather than purchasing five paper bags each week, you could save more than $15 over the course of a year — and most heavy-duty bags can last for over 10 years.
Governor Kathy Hochul today directed flags to be lowered at half staff to honor the life and legacy of His Holiness Pope Francis, who passed away today at the age of 88.
“I join everyone around the world in mourning the loss of His Holiness Pope Francis, as his leadership transcended religious boundaries,” Governor Hochul said. “He embodied the values Christ taught us every day: helping the less fortunate, calling for peace, and ensuring every person is treated as a child of God. Pope Francis led with compassion, humility and inclusivity, emphasizing that God does not disown any of his children, and reminded us of our collective responsibility to protect this beautiful planet, our shared home. We should all strive to carry on his legacy.”
Last year, Governor Hochul visited the Vatican to deliver remarks at a Pontifical Summit to discuss climate change where Pope Francis delivered an address calling on the world to take care of the most vulnerable in our society.
Flags will be lowered from Monday, April 21 through the day of his funeral service.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 April 2025 at 7:16 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Sacred Heart Club celebrated Dyngus Day today with lots of Polish food and also crowned the king and queen of Dyngus Day. Eli Howard was picked as king and Eileen Pettit is the queen. Both are very active volunteers at the Sacred Heart Club.
Dyngus Day is a Polish-American tradition that celebrates the end of Lent and the start of Easter festivities.
Pettit said she has been a member of Sacred Heart the past 14 years, helping with fish fries and other events, and donating prizes. She especially likes the tailgating parties at Sacred Heart during the Buffalo Bills season.
“It is a family,” Pettit said about the Sacred Heart Club which has about 400 members. “Every single person, whether Polish or not, we back each other.”
Jim Pinckney, left, last year’s Dyngus Day king, puts the crown and robe on Eli Howard, this year’s king.
Howard joined Sacred Heart in 1996 and is the current events co-chairman. He donates to many of the events and is an active volunteer.
Howard said he remains very grateful the Sacred Heart Club hosted a benefit in his honor on Sept. 21 where 500 chicken barbecue dinners sold out and hundreds of others came for a basket raffle. He is battling stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer, and Howard said it is manageable.
“This organization does a lot of good for the community,” he said.
Howard helps organize many of the events on the weekends that bring in crowds of people.
“It means a lot to be recognized by my peers in the club,” Howard said about being crowned king. “I am totally shocked.”
JT Thomas, the Sacred Heart president, also served as DJ, playing Polish music, including “Please Love Me Forever” by Bobby Vinton.
About 75 people are expected at the Dyngus Day celebration which continues until 9 p.m. There is lots of Polish food served including Golumpkis – Polish cabbage rolls that are stuffed with a mixture of beef, pork, rice and seasoning. There are also pierogis, sweet and sour cabbage, smoked kielbasa and other Polish food.
There also is a display of pussy willows. In the Dyngus Day tradition, boys sprinkle water on the girls who then tap the boys with pussy willows as a way of flirting.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 April 2025 at 6:14 pm
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Orleans County until 7 p.m. There could 60 mile-per-hour wind gusts and penny-size hail.
The warning also includes Genesee County, northeastern Erie County, southeastern Niagara County and northwestern Wyoming County.
The Weather Service said to expect damage to roofs, siding and trees.
“For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building,” the Weather Service said.
ALBION – We are excited to announce the Genesee Valley Wind Ensemble’s upcoming Spring 2025 concert, set to take place on May 3 at 4 p.m. at Albion Middle School.
This free event promises to be an unforgettable evening of music, showcasing the talented musicians of our community in a lively and inspiring performance.
The program will feature a diverse array of musical works, including both classic and contemporary pieces, conducted by Philip J. Briatico and Member Conductor Christopher B. Taylor. It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience the rich sound and dynamic energy of a full wind ensemble.
Featured works including “Guiding Spirit” by William Palange, “Be Glad, Then, America” by William Schuman, “A Tribute to Elvis” arranged by James Christensen, “One Life Beautiful” by Julie Giroux, “Rippling Watercolors” by Brian Balmages, “Selections from Wicked” arranged by Jay Bocook, and “The Thunderer” by John Philip Sousa.
This concert is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO Art! We are deeply grateful for their generous support, which helps make cultural events like this accessible to our community.
We invite you to join us for this special occasion, and we encourage you to bring your friends and family to enjoy an evening of outstanding music, all at no cost to attend. The concert is open to the public, and there will be ample seating for everyone.
Provided photo: A food pantry and other services from Community Action are now located at 131 S. Main Street, accessible from Platt Street.
Press Release, Community Action of Orleans & Genesee
ALBION – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee is excited to announce that its Orleans County Emergency Services and Case Management programs will officially open today at a new location.
The new office, located at 131 South Main St., is just steps behind the agency’s Main Street Thrifts, Gifts, and More store in Albion. Customers are advised to enter through the Platt Street entrance to the plaza.
This move from 409 East State St. reflects Community Action’s commitment to being more accessible to the people it assists. With a more central location, the agency hopes to remove barriers for families who rely on support programs, especially those without reliable transportation.
“We know how important it is for our programs to be easy to find and even easier to access,” said Ryan Lasal, Director of Community & Family Program Innovation at Community Action. “This move brings us closer to the heart of our community and allows us to better meet people where they are.”
The new office will also house the food pantry, previously located at the State Street address. However, the overnight pantry at 409 East State Street will remain open, ensuring that individuals in immediate need continue to have after-hours access to food assistance.
“Sometimes it’s just helping someone get through a tough month — whether it’s paying a bill, getting food, or finding a bit of stability,” Lasal said. “This move brings us closer to the people who rely on us, making it easier to be there when they need us most.”
In addition to the existing programs CAOG offers to help people become self-sufficient, CAOG is actively involved in the New York Health Equity Reform (NYHER) Program, also known as the “1115 Waiver Program.”
This initiative allows all Medicaid members to be screened for unmet needs related to housing, nutrition, and transportation. Based on screening results and other eligibility criteria, Medicaid members may receive free services to support their overall health and well-being, including rent or utility assistance, medically necessary home modifications, food prescriptions, pantry stocking, transportation, and more.
Community Action of Orleans and Genesee is contracted with the FLIPA “Social Care Network” for which Community Action CEO, Renee Hungerford serves as co-chair of the governing board. The program is funded in New York State through March 2027.
“We will soon be offering these screenings at all locations, including the 131 South Main Street location,” Hungerford said. “We are excited that the new location will make these opportunities more accessible.”
All other Community Action programs will continue operating from their current locations. To learn more about Emergency Services, Case Management, or food assistance, community members are encouraged to call (585) 589-5605 or visit www.caoginc.org.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 April 2025 at 9:36 am
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board is working on the village’s budget for 2025-26, with three more meetings scheduled this week to try to bring down a tax increase that stood at 23.5 percent during last week’s public hearing.
Total spending in the general was at $8,438,681 for 2025-26, which is up 9.9 percent from the $7,679,256 in the current budget.
The tax levy would increase by 23.5 percent or by $916,631 – from $3,903,200 to $4,819,831. That would result in the tax rate going up from $13.97 to $17.25 per $1,000 of assessed property.
However, Village Board members said they are determined to bring down that increase, hopefully under the state tax cap, which generally is about a 2 percent increase.
“This budget is still in its infancy stage,” Mayor Marguerite Sherman said during the public hearing. “There is still a lot of work to do on the budget.”
The board has budget sessions scheduled for today, Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The budget needs to be adopted by April 30.
Board members said they would discuss the budget in more detail at the 6 p.m. April 28 meeting. The board also is looking at the possibility of creating a fire district which would move the fire department out of the village budget and into its own taxing entity.
Deb Padoleski, a village trustee, said the numbers will come down before the budget is passed.
“I’m committed to keeping the increase as low as possible,” she said.
Residents in recent meetings have told the board they are concerned that the villages taxes are too high, and could push some residents out of the village.
“We hear you and share your pain because we are village taxpayers, too,” Sherman said.
When the board worked on the budget a year ago, Medina’s tax base increased by $100.5 million, going from $178,984,667 to $279,494,874. That is a 56.2 percent increase following town-wide reassessments in both Shelby and Ridgeway.
That huge boost in the tax base allowed the tax rate to plunge by more than $7 – from $21.16 to $13.97 per $1,000 of assessed properties.
But this time the tax base is showing a slight decline of $87,963 – from $279,494,874 to $279,406,911.
The village budget will include a new revenue: Medina will be collecting a 2 percent bed tax on hotels, motels, short-term rentals and other lodging establishments. The board is budgeting $10,000 in revenue from the new tax.
The tentative budget presented last week at the hearing also includes $2,287,949 for the Water Fund, up 8.8 percent from the $2,102,947 in 2024-25; and $1,486,921 for the Sewer Fund, up 18.4 percent from the $1,256,195 in 2024-25.
‘The elimination of these agencies and programs would be devastating.’ – Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee
Press Release, Community Action of Orleans & Genesee
ALBION – Several national news stories are circulating about Health and Human Services (HHS) cuts in the proposed federal 2026 budget.
The proposed cuts include the elimination of Head Start, LIHEAP (energy assistance), and the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) which is the foundational funding that enables Community Action Agencies to exist.
Last month, Renee Hungerford, CEO of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, spent a week in Washington, DC, to meet with members of Congress and their staff to discuss the critical importance of the Community Services Block Grant, Head Start, and LIHEAP.
“I am grateful to have received words of support, from both Republicans and Democrats, for our programs,” Hungerford said. “Any one of us can fall into a situation of economic challenge. Our programs are designed to help people through those difficult times and reach self-sufficiency.”
It is important to note that the federal budget has not yet been approved by Congress and constituents are urged to contact members of Congress, with concerns, before the budget is presented to Congress.
The contacts for the area’s House of Representatives member and two U.S. senators include:
• Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (Click here for contact information)
• Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (Click here for contact information)
• Senator Charles Schumer (Click here for contact information)
“In 2024, our agency assisted nearly 5,000 individuals with programs that improve health outcomes and financial stability,” Hungerford said. “This includes over 240 children in Head Start programs. In addition, we provide meaningful employment which supports our local economy. There are one thousand Community Action Agencies in the US providing similar programs. The elimination of these agencies and programs would be devastating.”
For more information, please contact: info@caoginc.org or visit www.caoginc.org.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 April 2025 at 9:07 pm
ALBION – The Main Street lift bridge will close again tomorrow (April 21) so crews can finish an extensive rehabilitation of the bridge.
The closure is expected to last up to six weeks. Detours will be posted.
The bridge was initially closed on Nov. 14, 2022 for what was expected to be about 18 months for a major rehabilitation. That project stretched to more than two years when the bridge was reopened just after Christmas on Dec. 27, 2024.
But there was still some more work on the deck and with additional testing, Village Trustee Joyce Riley said.
The original bridge from 1914 has been extensively rebuilt with new steel now over about 80 percent of the structure.
