The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Orleans County is down 3 cents in the past week, from $4.38 to $4.35, according to AAA. That price is the highest in upstate New York, and only topped by the $4.377 in Westchester, $4.381 in Rockland and $4.444 in Manhattan.

In New York State, the average price is down 4 cents to $4.18 and nationally the price is down 3 cents to $4.08.

The average price per gallon for regular unleaded gas in Western New York includes Orleans at $4.35, Niagara at $4.231, Monroe at $4.269, Genesee at $4.226, Wyoming at $4.245, Livingston at $4.305, Chautauqua at $4.151, Cattaraugus at $4.135, Allegany at $4.261, and Erie at $4.229.

AAA said the oil supply is increasing with domestic crude stocks up by 2.5 million barrels, followed by announcements that 180 million barrels would be released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve over the next six months and the International Energy Agency would release 120 million barrels from its emergency reserves.

Consumers also should see more relief at the pumps with President Biden saying his administration will temporarily allow E15 gasoline, which uses a 15% ethanol blend during the warm-weather months. The higher-ethanol fuel typically sells for 5 to 10 cents less per gallon than regular gas, AAA said.

Press Release, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will lead Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Representative Mondaire Jones (D-NY) in a congressional delegation visit to Poland, UAE, India, Nepal and Germany over the next nine days.

The group issued the following joint statement ahead of their visit:

“This strong congressional delegation will have the opportunity to meet with U.S. military leadership and troops in Poland in order to learn how the U.S. can continue to support Ukraine and our NATO allies against Russia’s unprovoked and unwarranted war. In addition, the delegation will meet with a number of key foreign leaders in Poland, UAE, India, Nepal and Germany to strengthen ties during this period of heightened global tension.”

A home-and-home series match up between Albion and Roy-Hart will highlight this coming week’s schedule as Niagara-Orleans League baseball action resumes after the Easter holiday break.

The contests will be at Roy-Hart on Tuesday and at Albion on Thursday.

On Saturday Vets Park will host an interesting non league baseball doubleheader as McDowell of Erie, Pa. will take on Roy-Hart at 4 p.m. and Medina at 6:30 p.m.

Lyndonville will face a busy three game week of baseball action as the Tigers visit Notre Dame on Monday, Akron on Friday and Elba on Saturday.

The Lyndonville softball squad faces an even busier week of four games including Tuesday at Wilson and then home games against Akron on Thursday, Notre Dame on Friday and Elba on Saturday.

Weekly Schedule
Monday
Baseball – Lyndonville at Notre Dame, 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday
Baseball – Albion at Roy-Hart, Wilson at Akron, 4:45 p.m.
Softball – Lyndonville at Wilson, 4:30 p.m.
Tennis – Wilson at Albion, Medina at Roy-Hart, Newfane at Akron, 4 p.m.

Wednesday
Softball – Roy-Hart at Medina, Albion at Wilson, Newfane at Akron, 4:45 p.m.
Track – Lyndonville at Byron-Bergen, 4 p.m.
Lacrosse – Akron at Medina, 7 p.m.

Thursday
Baseball – Roy-Hart at Albion, Akron at Wilson, 4:45 p.m.
Softball – Akron at Lyndonville, 4:45 p.m.
Tennis – Roy-Hart at Akron, Newfane at Wilson, 4 p.m.

Friday
Baseball – Lyndonville at Akron , 4:30 p.m.
Softball – Medina at Akron, 4:45; Notre Dame at Lyndonville, 5 p.m.
Tennis – Wilson at Roy-Hart, 4 p.m.
Lacrosse – Lockport at Medina, 5 p.m.

Saturday
Baseball – Lyndonville at Elba, Holley at Attica, 11 a.m.; Roy-Hart vs. McDowell, 4 p.m. Vets Park; Medina vs. McDowell, 6:30 p.m. Vets Park
Softball – Elba at Lyndonville, Attica at Holley, 11 a.m.

Ron Armstrong recognized for 65 years of service to AFD

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A.J. Fisher was recognized on Saturday night as Albion’s “Firefighter of the Year” and Brianna Caldwell was named “EMS Fireman of the Year.” Both also were among the top 10 of the volunteer firefighters for responding to calls.

Fisher, 21, has been around the fire hall since he was 2. His father was an Albion firefighter. His brother James also was a long-time Albion firefighter before joining the Carlton department. Their sister Amber is married to Albion Fire Chief Rob Conner and is a 15-year member.

Fisher was praised by Chief Conner for responding to so many calls and for a willingness to help the department.

“He’s nonstop,” Conner said.

Fisher will often be working at Walmart and will clock out to go to a call, and then return to work.

“I like to help out and be involved in the community,” he said.

Caldwell, 25, joined Albion a year ago after being a firefighter with the Barre Volunteer Fire Company. She responded to more than 250 calls last year with the Albion Fire Department.

She works from home as project manager for a software company. She enjoys being a firefighter.

“I love my community and I want to give back to it,” she said.

The department had more than 500 calls last year. The top responders included: Jeremy Babcock, 74 percent; A.J. Fisher, 65 percent; Brianna Caldwell, 50 percent; Dylan Marks, 47 percent; Rob Conner, 40 percent; Fred Piano, 40 percent; Austin Zobel, 37 percent; John Papponetti, 36 percent; Steven Papponetti, 33 percent; and Paul Urquhart, 31 percent.

Ron Armstrong was recognized with 65 years of service to the fire department and community. Armstrong is shown receiving a gift from Chief Rob Conner on behalf of the AFD.

Armstrong, 88, only recently stopped being a driver for fire and emergency calls.

Armstrong served as fire chief in 1975, and then from 1996 to 1998. He stayed very active with the department through his 70s and early 80s because he said there is a need for volunteers, especially during the work hours.

Armstrong served in the Air Force as a radio operator. He was stationed in Germany during the Korean War. He then worked 30 years as a printer at the former Eddy Printing in Albion before working another 16 years at Kodak. He has served on many of the truck committees over the years.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley presents a certificate of commendation to Armstrong for 65 years of service and for “repeatedly demonstrating courage in the face of adversity” by responding to many fires, motor vehicle accidents and other emergencies.

The crowd gives Armstrong a standing ovation when he was recognized by Hawley.

County Legislator Ed Morgan presents a special recognition award from the County Legislature to Armstrong. He also received awards from State Sen. Rob Ortt and the Firefighters Association of New York State.

Armstrong said Albion has been fortunate to have a dedicated group of firefighters for many decades.

“We’ve always had a good crew behind us,” he said.

Dale Banker, the county’s emergency management coordinator, installs the officers and executive committee.

The officers for 2022 include: Rob Conner, chief; James Peruzzini, deputy chief; John Papponetti, assistant chief; Steven Papponetti, captain; Jeremy Graham, first lieutenant; Nathan Bloom, second lieutenant; Jeremy Babcock, third lieutenant; Harry Papponetti, chief mechanic; Fred Piano, EMS captain; and Brianna Caldwell, EMS lieutenant.

The executive committee include: Nathan Bloom, president; Austin Zobel, vice president; Dawn Marciszewski, treasurer; Kelly Irwin, assistant treasurer; Christine Bloom, secretary; and directors Jan Cheverie, Jeremy Babcock and Nathan Bloom.

Joe Grube, the outgoing president of the fire department, presents the President’s Award to Al Cheverie, who served in the role for many years and was a steady help to Grube in the past year. Nathan Bloom is the department’s new president.

Press Release, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County

Provided photo: Zack Welker, a 4-H club leader and Orleans CCE volunteer, participates in the ice cream eating contest at the 2021 4-H Fair.

KNOWLESVILLE – Volunteers are invaluable to the Orleans County 4-H Program.

“We would not be able to provide programming to local youth without our dedicated and talented volunteers,” said Kristina Gabalski, Orleans County 4-H Program Coordinator.

Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension is celebrating its volunteers during National Volunteer Week, April 17-23.

4-H volunteers are involved in a wide variety of tasks, Gabalski said.

“Some come one day a year to help evaluate youth at events such as Public Presentations or Produced in New York,” she said. “Others are club leaders who are involved in programming all year-round. Others are highly involved in helping with the 4-H Fair. The time commitment varies, but volunteers share their talents and interests with the next generation.”

Zack Welker of Medina began volunteering with Orleans CCE in 2015 as leader of the 4-H Beef and Dairy Club. He has also served on the Animal Welfare and Fair Committees and is the current president of the Extension Board of Directors. Zack grew up in 4-H and said the program opened many doors for him during his youth.

“Being a 4-H leader allows me to help shape and give back to the next generation in the same way that my leaders did for me,” he said.

Floyd Young co-leads the Outback Orleans Outdoors 4-H Club with Dale Frasier. Both are from Kent and both have children enrolled in the Orleans County 4-H Program. The club needed new leaders back in 2020 and Floyd and Dale stepped forward about when Covid hit.

“The club focuses on shooting sports, outdoor activities and survival skills and the new leaders needed NYS 4-H Shooting Sports training before the club could be fully active again,” Gabalski said. “After more than a year of waiting during the Covid pause, they were able to complete the training in June of 2021. The club can continue because of their expertise and perseverance.”

“I am blessed to have this opportunity,” Young explained.  “I wish that when I was at these kids’ age, I would have had the knowledge and instruction they are getting.”

He said the youth in the club help drive the focus of the group.

“The youth do the activities they choose and are able to learn the skills they want and will take into their future,” Young said. “Being outdoors is something kids are not getting enough of these days. 4-H helps them to be more active outdoors than indoors. It’s also nice to see parents interact with their kids, the parents learn, too.”

Young and Welker are among the newer group of 4-H leaders/volunteers in Orleans, but the program has many volunteers who have served for decades – Pauline Lanning, one of the longest serving volunteers, has been helping the program for 55 years. Others are 4-H alumni.

“We were 4-Hers, our kids were 4-Hers and now our grandchildren are 4-Hers,” said Robyn Watts of Medina.

She has been involved in volunteering and leading clubs as well as serving on the Family and Consumer Science Program Development Committee (FCSPDC) for more than 40 years.

“The support and information is fabulous through Cooperative Extension,” she noted. “You know where to go for help. The parents are great, they stay during meetings to help.”

Joyce Chizick of Lyndonville has also served as a volunteer, club leader and FCSPDC member for more than four decades. She said the 4-H program offers many opportunities to youth.

“4-H is on the forefront of important issues like going green and organic gardening,” Chizick said.

She remembers the many trips offered by Orleans County 4-H which opened many new places and experiences for youth.

“The trips brought people together and gave them exposure to different ways of living,” Chizick said. “They got to see plays in New York City and see that there is something else out there.  Many 4-Hers had not been out of Orleans County or even to Buffalo.”

Helping to provide experiences for youth such as award trips, teaching them life skills and guiding them as they pursue their interests has kept these 4-H volunteers coming back year after year.

Louise Henderson of Barre has volunteered for more than 40 years in the Orleans County 4-H program. She now has great-grandchildren in the program and says she appreciates the fact that 4-H youth get lots of experience in hands-on actual reality.

“It’s the importance of learning by doing,” she said.

Henderson’s daughter, Alice Mathes, leads the Adventurers 4-H Club with her mother. Both are members of the FCSPD committee. Alice says 4-Hers have the skills and knowledge to deal with anything.  She remembers traveling in an Extension van to a state 4-H Dairy event in the days when there were no cell phones.

“The van got a flat tire, and the 4-Hers who were with me were able to help,” she recalled.

Mathes added that her granddaughter can cook and sew.

“She has learned many valuable skills in 4-H,” Mathes said. “Her teachers are blown away.”

The towns of Carlton ad Kendall will wait a year for town-wide reassessments to see if the market settles down and the impact of inflation.

Lisa Hewitt, the assessor for both towns, made the announcement about the postponement.

“It has been decided that additional time is needed to responsibly inform property owners of assessment changes and the potential impact to taxes,” Hewitt said in a public notice. “Both towns have agreed, that given the recent rise in inflation across the area, that they do not want the changes in assessment adding extra stress to property owners.”

Many towns in Orleans County and in the region are doing reassessments and the numbers have been a shock to property owners with a wild real estate market pushing housing values up significantly.

In Clarendon, for example, the average assessment for the 1,000 properties in the town increased 25 percent since the last reassessment in 2019.

The median price for homes in Orleans County is up 68.5 percent in four years, jumping from $81,000 in 2017 to $136,500 in 2021, according to data from the Greater Rochester Association of Realtors.

Tony Cammarata, the Kendall town supervisor, said he supports olding off on a town-wide reassessment for a year.

“To do a re-val this year would create a lot of uncertainty and that’s not the objective of the town,” Cammarata said. “We want to work with factual data and the factual data we don’t have.”

Cammarata said he expects the real estate prices will come down now that interest rates are going up.

“Let’s see how the market changes,” Cammarata said. “And it’s changes. In order to do a fair assessment of the situation, it is in the best interest to hold off and see how the market levels off. Hopefully the market will calm itself down and hopefully it will be better to residents.”

Cammarata said he expects the Town Board will approve a resolution of support of the assessor’s decision during its meeting on Tuesday.

Press Release, Maison Albion

ALBION – Maison Albion will host its French Market to spring into summer from April 23-24. The event will feature 50 vendors from across Western New York, specializing in fresh produce and flowers, handmade goods and antiques.

The two-day event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 23 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 24.

The Market at Maison is a French-inspired market designed to provide small businesses a unique and elegant space to showcase their products, while connecting with other artists and community members. Guests will experience an afternoon of shopping through the extravagant ballroom, beautifully designed patio spaces, and lounge in the newly renovated billiards room. Tours of the historic mansion will be available to all guests, lunch will be offered by The Big Cheese Food Truck and beverages served by Blue Groove Coffee Co and Mixologie.

“The Market at Maison creates an opportunity for local artists, farmers, and antique curators to reach a wider audience in a beautiful space.” said Kerri Glover. “We look forward to creating this event, which has already gained a strong following, every spring and fall annually.”

“This French-inspired market is one of our favorite events. Not only do we get to meet other local businesses and vendors, but we have also made some great friends participating in the Market at Maison. We absolutely love that Maison Albion hosts this event every year” said Sarah Ebbs, owner of Pretty Sweet Bakery.

Maison Albion is committed to providing all guests with the utmost hospitality with the hope of leaving guests feeling enchanted by the grounds beauty and rich history. Tickets include a signature shopping basket and two complimentary refreshments. Tickets for the event can be purchased online at www.maisonalbion.com/market.

Maison Albion is a historic mansion reimagined to host magnificent weddings and events. Located at 13800 W County House Road in Albion, guests are transported to a time of luxurious craftsmanship, baroque decadence, and lavish celebrations. The 1878 mansion is accompanied by a breathtaking ballroom and parklike gardens reminiscent of a late 19th century French cottage.

BROCKPORT – A short time ago, former Albion resident Cora Goyette shared her memories of meeting and hosting General Colin Powell at Lakeside Foundation’s annual gala.

Madeline Albright’s official portrait when she was secretary of state.

Now the death of another prominent American, Madeleine Albright, has sparked more memories for Goyette, who met the dignitaries when she worked for the lakeside Foundation in Brockport.

Albright was America’s first woman to hold the post of secretary of state from 1997 to 2001. She passed away from cancer at age 84 on march 23.

As director of development of the Lakeside Foundation in Brockport, Goyette invited and spent time with Albright when she was the guest of honor at the 2002 annual gala.

Goyette calls her experience “A Tale of Two First Ladies – Madeleine Albright and Barbara Bush,” and their connection to upstate New York weather and a small community hospital.

In 1994, when Lakeside was planning its sixth annual gala and invited Barbara Bush, the First Lady replied she could not attend in October because she had two sons running for office – George in Texas and Jeb in Florida. However, she replied, if the date could be changed she would be delighted to accept the invitation.

“And so it was, the first Friday in December became the traditional date for the gala,” Goyette said.

This, however, brought concern for staff because of the uncertainty of Rochester weather.

Goyette fast forwards to 2002. Following a long line of eminent speakers, including presidents Bush and Ford, generals Colin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf, British Prime Minister John Major and America’s most trusted journalist Walter Cronkite, Madeleine Albright graciously accepted a similar invitation, Goyette said.

“Then Mother Nature intervened and for the first time in eight years, a snow storm occurred, like no other,” Goyette recalled.  “So how does a stoic immigrant deal with the situation? She personally decided not to fly, but took it upon herself to travel by train from New York City to Rochester, leaving in the early morning hours to ensure arrival and success for Lakeside.”

Goyette said throughout the day Albright displayed her graciousness and tenacity as a human being. Her life stories as an immigrant, first to the United Kingdom and then to the United States, were tinged with humorous encounters with world leaders and entertained an audience of 800 guests.

In June 2000, Albright and representatives from every region of the world convened the first ever conference of democracies.

Goyette considers herself truly honored to have such a woman, and was deeply saddened at news of her recent death.

“She was a truly remarkable lady who served her adopted country,” Goyette said.

As a footnote, Goyette added that Lakeside Health System’s reputation with the speakers’ circuit was well-known and respected by all involved in the planning and execution of galas. So when the executive director whispered into Secretary Albright’s ear apologies for the dessert being served five minutes late, Albright winked and said with a wry smile, “How could you let this happen?”

Similarly, when former First Lady Barbara Bush was in attendance, staff knew where to place her aides during dinner. In Bush’s own words, she said, “I take my shoes off, so can you, but my aide will not retrieve yours if they fall off the risers.”

Provided photo: Ashley Farrell’s granddaughter Annalaya wears the little blue sweater Farrell passed on to her. The sweater has special meaning for Farrell, who was living in Holley 12 years ago and found it at the Community Center.

HOLLEY – This is a tale of a little blue sweater, a tiny piece of clothing which had the power to lift and encourage one individual.

It’s story began at a very bad time in the life of Ashley Farrell, who decided recently to write about it and post it on Facebook. Nyla Gaylord of Clarendon, event coordinator and fundraiser for United Way of Orleans County, saw the post and forwarded it to Renee Hungerford, director of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee.

Hungerford asked Farrell to share her story.

Farrell, who now lives in Batavia, was down and out 12 years ago and frequently visited the Holley Community Center for food and donations of clothing.

“I went to the Center two or three times a week for lunch so I didn’t have to use up the little food I had in my house,” Farrell said.

On one of those days, someone had dropped off a box of clothing, and Farrell started to go through it. In it she found a little blue sweater.

“I grabbed it,” Farrell said. “My daughter Riley was 3 and she wore the sweater for two years, until she outgrew it. Then I passed it on to my niece Haidynn, who also wore it for three years. Then it came back to me. I had four daughters by then and the two youngest, Jaidynn and Jetta, wore it.”

The sweater was still in great condition, Farrell said. Through all the play dates, spilled juice, trips and tumbles, the blue sweater remained resilient. Many walks to the park and always the extra layer of clothing at school on those chilly days, the blue sweater became priceless. But its  life didn’t end there.

Farrell now has a granddaughter Annalaya, 2, who is going to get the sweater.

It’s only a small piece of clothing, but it’s sentimental value is overwhelming to Farrell.

“I found it when I needed help the most,” Farrell said. “It’s become a big piece of my family’s history. I look back now on the day I was rummaging through that box at the Community Center and I thank God, I thank the universe and all the powers you can’t see, but most importantly I thank myself.”

Hungerford stressed how a simple donation of that box of clothing impacted one family’s live.

“Everyone who donates or volunteers in any way has no idea how it can change somebody’s life,” she said.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Ashley Farrell holds the little blue sweater someone donated to the Holley Community Center 12 years ago. She has passed on from her children to her niece, and now her granddaughter will get to wear it.

“The person who gave it away probably thought they were getting rid of clutter, but had no idea what it would mean to my family,” Farrell said.

Farrell often came to the Community Center for help in the past. She not only was fed there and found clothing for her family, but coordinator Debbie Rothmund used to help her out with money for gas and Annette Finch, recently retired director of Emergency Services, has given Farrell gas cards. When Farrell got a job at the Le Roy Village Green, she got her scrubs at the Community Center’s thrift room.

“Our mission is to help people become self sufficient and Ashley is a shining example,” Hungerford said.

Farrell said it has come full circle.

“I’ve been in homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters, and this little blue sweater reminds me of a time I don’t want to go back to,” Farrell said. “But it also reminds me of how far I’ve come. I’m on my feet now and any way I can help someone, I try to do it. I always try to inspire people and urge them not to give up. Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

She recalls how people would look at her when she was asking for food and clothing.

“Don’t let your situation define you,” Farrell said. “If I can do it, you can do it.”

Rothmund said anyone who needs a support system is welcome at the Holley Community Center.

“I tell people, ‘I promise you in six months you’ll feel differently if you just keep going,’” she said.

Hungerford said Community Action needs volunteers, and she hopes people will take from this story how important it is to volunteer and donate.

From left, Renee Hungerford, director of Community Action; Debbie Rothmund, coordinator of the Holley Community Center; and Katrina Chaffee, director of Community Services and Reporting at Community Action, look at the little blue sweater Ashley Farrell found there 12 years ago. The sweater has become a symbol of hope and inspiration for Farrell’s family.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Jeremiah Holloway in front carries the cross across West Center Street near the West Avenue intersection. He is assisted by Joshua Watts and Shonn Effner.

“I definitely feel a deeper connection to my faith,” Holloway said.

The three were among 40 participants today in the annual “Cross Walk” by the Medina Area Association of Churches and the Medina Clergy Fellowship.

The churches have been doing the annual “Pilgrimage to Golgotha” for at least two decades on Good Friday. They go to seven stops in the village, reading scripture and singing hymns.

Mike Zaidel, a member of Alabama Full Gospel Fellowship, holds the cross in front of City Hall while Pastor Michael Stephenson of the First Baptist Church addresses the group.

Zaidel carried the cross on part of the journey today.

“Even carrying it just a little ways made my hand numb,” he said. “I can’t imagine the pain that Jesus went through.”

Pastor Garry McCaffery of United Methodist Church of the Abundant Harvest gives the reading from John 18:1-14 from the steps of City Hall.

In back, Amy Watts holds a resurrection flag and her husband Joshua Watts holds a Yeshua flag about the “crown of thorns.”

Pastor Dan Thurber of the Oak Orchard Assembly of God church carries the cross in front while William Dabb is in back. They are crossing East Center Street near the Main Street intersection.

Jeremiah Holloway, in back, and Jarred Saj carry the cross down Pearl Street.

Jarred Saj is in front with the cross as the group moves along West Avenue to the Medina Historical Society. Neil Samborski is dressed as a centurion.

Pastor Jovannie Canales of the Second Church True Disciples of Jesus Christ carries the cross from Cooper Funeral Home to the First Baptist Church. Canales also shared one of the readings on the Cross Walk.

“It was a very deep experience for me,” he said about carrying the cross. “It put me in the place of a deeper understanding of what Jesus went through.”

Curt Strickland holds the cross amidst the fierce winds this afternoon. He is shown next to the First Baptist Church with Rudy’s Diner in the background.

There will be a Good Friday worship service at 6:30 p.m. today at the Oak Orchard Assembly of God, sponsored by PACT (Pastors Aligned for Community Transformation).

There is also a Good Friday worship service at 6:30 p.m. today at The Grove Methodist Church.

There will be a Sunrise Service on Easter morning at 6:30 at Boxwood Cemetery.

File photo: Lily Newman and Allison Merle, students in the Holley Interact Club, carry bags with trash along the Erie Canal towpath on April 24, 2021 during the Canal Clean Sweep event. There were 68 volunteers for the project and they covered 9 miles of the canal towpath in the school district, and also picked up garbage and debris along all of the village streets.

There are several canal cleanup events in scheduled in Orleans County. Some are scheduled as part of the Canal Clean Sweep on the Earth Day weekend of April 22-24 and others are in early May.

About 120 of the cleanup events are planned along the canal system for the 17th annual Canal Clean Sweep. Click here for more information.

The local events include:

• Medina Rotary Club will be cleaning up trash and debris on the north side of the canal from Fruit Avenue bridge to Marshall Road bridge from 9 to 11 a.m. on April 23.

• Medina Lions Club will be doing its Environmental Cleanup Day from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on May 7. Volunteers will meet at the Canal Lift bridge on North Gravel Road and then be assigned areas along the canal and village public areas to clean up trash and spread mulch.

• Medina IMPACT Erie Canal Clean Sweep will be from noon to 2 p.m. on April 22. Medina IMPACT Club students will do the service project in recognition of Earth Day. Students will begin at the high school and then walk to the gazebo located in the Erie Canal Basin.

• Tinsel in Albion is coordinating a clean sweep from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 23. Meet at Tinsel at 160 N. Main St. and pick parts of the village to pick up litter.

•  The Doherty family and friends will focus on litter near the Brown Street bridge in Albion from 9 to 11 a.m. on April 23.

• The Holley Rotary Club and Holley Interact Club from 8 a.m. to noon on April 30 will gather with other community members to walk the canal the length that spans the school district. They will cover from the public boat launch on County Line Rd at Route 31 to Transit Rd. Teams will work from bridge to bridge picking up trash. If there are enough volunteers, they will try to cover the entire village for clean up as well. Volunteers are meeting at the Holley High School parking lot and disperse from there.

Provided photo

ALBION – The Albion Lions Club on Tuesday evening recognized three members for milestone anniversaries with the club.

Pictured from left include President Dan Conrad, Kash Sahukar (45 years as a Lion), Bill Robinson (20 years as a Lion), Henry Smith (10 years as a Lion) and Vice President Ron Albertson.

The club is gearing up for its annual Mother’s Day Rose Sale on May 6-7.

The Cobblestone Museum owns a Bass viol that is more than 200 years old. It is displayed in the choir loft of the Cobblestone Church on Route 104.

By Doug Farley, Cobblestone Museum Director – Vol. 3 No. 10

Lately, I’ve enjoyed teaming up with retired museum director Bill Lattin to produce several recent articles of the “Historic Childs” series, including the eight article series on “Popular Images of Yesteryear.”

I always learn a lot when I work with Bill and, having been a “Niagara County boy,” I’m pleased to have firmly extended my horizons into Orleans County. And, it’s very nice that Orleans County readers have made me feel so welcome.

The crunch to produce weekly articles has required me to open my eyes and take a good look at the great wealth of history in and around the Hamlet of Childs, and particularly, the Cobblestone Museum. That being said, I pitched the idea to Bill about a new series of articles about historic musical instruments at the Museum, and we decided that while we are at it, we could throw in some articles about some of Edison’s earliest devices that reproduced the human voice, too.

Let’s begin with a Bass viol that has been displayed in the choir loft of the Cobblestone Church since well before my arrival in 2017. The idea of a Bass viol on exhibit at the church makes perfect sense.  The bass was one of the early instruments that would have accompanied hymn singing in the 18th and 19th centuries.  Bill Lattin wrote about this particular instrument in his Directors Report of August 1996:

“The museum was given an old Bass viol by Marion “Mickey” Lusk. I did a story on it for my weekly column (Bethinking Old Orleans) and also a news release for Batavia, Lockport and Niagara Falls. Jim Orr took a photo for these.”

The Bass viol in question was believed to be over 200 years old at the time of its arrival at the Museum. The instrument itself, when examined closely, shows that it has seen a lot of use over the years, decades, and even centuries of music making. To quote Paul Harvey, I was pleased to learn “the rest of the story.”

Marion “Mickey” Lusk (1921-2012) and her mother, Rose Foreman, circa 1940s

Prior to the instruments arrival at the Cobblestone Museum, Marion “Mickey” Lusk had played the bass with a variety of musical groups including the “Rhythmnaires” and “Troubadours.”

Mickey related that both she and her mother, Rose Foreman, played the bass. Her mother began by first using a bow, until someone said, “Rose, just pluck it!” Mickey said, after that she just plucked it, “but used to get some pretty sore fingers.”

Mickey Lusk and the Rhythm-Aires providing Country-Western entertainment, Medina Journal Register, Feb. 1, 1973

In 1939, Mickey Lusk played with the “Rhythm Ramblers” at the Corfu Grange. Others who played with the ensemble were Joe Colby, Pee Wee Southcott and Jack Lacy. Years earlier this popular group could be heard on radio stations in Lockport and Batavia. This group broke up in the 1940s and another group known as the “Rhythm-Aires” was formed in the mid-1950s. In 1955 Mickey also played with Cy Roberts and the “Troubadours.”

In 1963, Mickey Lusk and her “Rhythm Ramblers” performed in the Holley “Hootenanny Show” to benefit the Cancer Society. The presentation followed the same format as the “Hootenanny” TV Show that was popular at the time. Other entertainment at that event included the “Epics” of Mount Morris, and the “Cyclones” of Medina.

Going back even further, Mickey Lusk offered more history about the old Bass viol:

“Sometime in the early 1920s, Frank Bissell went to the Bragg Schoolhouse Road and bought the bass from Veteran Bragg for five dollars. He brought it home and taught his daughter Rose to play it for house dances. In the late 1920s, Frank sold it to Walter Lusk, again, for five dollars. Then in 1940, Alvie Culver had an auction and Rose and Mike Foreman saw it there. They bid on the bass and bought it for fifty cents. They brought it home and took it over to Fred Hagadorn at Royalton to fix it. He wanted to buy it and offered $300. At that time, it was about 150 years old. Rose told him “no” and took it home and played it with her daughter in their orchestra. It was played until about 1955.”

In 1996, Mickey Lusk said the Bass viol represents “a lot of good times and a lot of tears.” Today, it is an artifact which represents the cultural climate of a bygone era. The bass is unusual in that it was built with only three strings (which helps to date it.) Fred Hagadorn thought it might have been built by a German maker of musical instruments.

This photo from 1996 shows Marion Lusk playing the three-string bass next to the Cobblestone Church at the time of her donation.

Fast forward to 2022 during a digitization project for the Museum’s old photos, and the Bass viol became the topic of conversation once again. The archivist became intrigued with this photo of Marion Lusk and the three string bass from 1996.  He offered his observations at that time:

“I emailed the photograph (above) to my older brother who is the retired double bass symphony musician. Over the years he has done repairs and restorations of string bass instruments. He replied that 3-string basses were common in the 18th-19th centuries in parts of Europe, especially in Italy and France. He bought (for $3,000) a c.1880 French bass from a friend several years ago that needed some work. It had been crudely converted to 4-strings…and over about six months of part-time fooling, including rebuilding the peg box completely, made it more playable. He sold it a couple of years ago to a friend for $25,000. The pegs (“hat-peg”) in this picture aren’t French, I think; maybe German or Eastern Europe?  The bass shape could easily be French though.”

While the Museum doesn’t focus on the monetary value of its collection (We don’t intend to sell our artifacts!) it is interesting to note that an item purchased for 50 cents at auction in the 1940s has possibly appreciated into five-figure territory.

Unfortunately though, the Museum’s Bass viol has many condition issues that the 1996 photograph didn’t depict, such as modern metal screws holding several parts of the instrument’s 1800s wooden body together.

Perhaps a music lover would be willing to help fully restore this cherished piece of history for future generations to enjoy?

A wind advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service for Orleans County and much of Western New York for Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There will be southwest winds from 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 55 mph expected. The gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result, the Weather Service said.

The highs for the next three days include 56 on Friday, 46 on Saturday and 46 on Sunday.