Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Lukin Szatkowski, 10, and his mother Sara are shown selling “Team Jimmer” bracelets today at the Tim Hortons in Medina. The bracelets are in honor of Jimmer Szatkowski, Lukin’s uncle who was diagnosed last month with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

Jimmer Szatkowski, 48, is a Medina native. He now lives in the Syracuse area and owns two Chick-fil-A restaurants, with sites in Cicero and Clay. His family is expected to deliver Chick-fil-A to the Tim Hortons employees today in appreciation for hosting the bracelet sale. Tim Hortons also is donating $1 for every $5 bracelet sold.

Lukin and Sara were joined today by Lukin’s brother Wyatt, 7, and the boys’ father, Andrew, who is Jimmer’s brother and Sara’s husband.

The Szatkowskis will be at Tim Hortons until about 5 p.m. today.

The bracelets and cards include a message that May is ALS Awareness Month.

“We have hope that there will be a cure; however ALS research is underfunded,” the card states. “We need funds to make this Cure possible!”

The fundraiser will direct 100 percent of the funds to research, clinical trials and also clinical care at Healey Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Julie Berry, acclaimed author from Medina, sees resurgence in independent book stores

Photos by Tom Rivers: Julie Berry is shown late Saturday afternoon after a busy first day at the Author’s Note, the former Book Shoppe at 519 Main St.

MEDINA – It was Friday night when Julie Berry posted on social media that Saturday would be opening day for Author’s Note.

She was expecting a soft opening on Saturday, with some people popping in to see the remodel of the former Book Shoppe.

But longtime customers and the Medina community wouldn’t have a tepid debut for store. There was a line waiting for outside the Author’s Note when it opened at 10 a.m. at 519 Main St. and the people kept coming throughout the day.

“I hoped for a good day but it was an extraordinary day,” Berry said on Saturday afternoon. “We’ve had a phenomenal first day.”

The Author’s Note has completed the full remodel of the store. The back section, where the Book Shoppe used to sell toys and games, is expected to open in about three weeks as an area for children.

It has been an ambitious remaking of the space, with two drop-down ceiling taken down to showcase the original tin ceiling, which needed repairs, sanding and painting.

The linoleum and floors, and the sub-flooring also were removed. That revealed a hardwood floor that was sanded after the staples and nails were pulled up.

Berry said the floor and ceiling makes the store feel bigger and taller.

“This has been a dream to have a book store,” Berry said.

The Author’s Note team includes, from left: Erica Caldwell, book buyer; Julie Berry, owner; and Olivia Marchese, book seller.

She bought the business from Gloria and Fred Fierch. They operated for the Book Shoppe for about a year. Susan Phillips previously owned the store for 21 years.

Berry said the Book Shoppe has a clear following in the community. She expects those core customers to keep coming back, and she will be working to draw in new people.

Julie Berry is an acclaimed author of 25 books, including several award-winning youth adult novels. She is holding her latest book, Cranky Right Now, which was released on May 11. This photo shows the tin ceiling and hardwood floors that are now visible as part of the store’s remodel.

Besides selling books in the store and online through the Author’s Note website, the inventory will include toys, puzzles, crafts and science-based projects for children. And Author’s Note will continue to offer a customer favorite: coffee.

Berry is a 1991 Medina grad who has written 25 books, with some under a pen name. She has won numerous prestigious awards.

Berry, her husband Phil and their children were living in Los Angeles last year when her sister told her the Book Shoppe was for sale. Berry welcomed the chance to come back to her hometown, and own a book store. She moved back to Medina in November.

Phil and many of Berry’s family and friends have tackled the renovations with zest.

“I see Author’s Note creating a community for book lovers and connecting readers to their favorite authors,” Berry said. “I think of all books as being an ‘author’s note’ to the world. I hope this community will see this book store as my love note to Medina.”

She has an office downstairs and will continue to write two to three hours a day. She also will spend several hours in the store with customers.

Her cousin Erica Caldwell is a key part of the operation, as the book buyer. Caldwell owned her own book store in Batavia, Present Tense.

Berry said many independent book stores are seeing a resurgence with Covid-19 restrictions giving people more time to read. The pandemic has also made many people value small town merchants more, including the locally owned bookstores.

“The bookstores that succeed are the ones that have created a community with their customers,” she said.

The state modified its directive for mask wearing for children in childcare sites and at summer camps. The guidance initially required masks to be worn by children as young as 2.

That policy sparked an outcry from parents and many state legislators, including State Sen. Rob Ortt and Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

“This mandate is not needed to protect public health, and only serves to jeopardize the operations of summer camps and childcare centers alike,” Hawley said in a statement on Monday. “I hope to see it swiftly rescinded.”

Later in the afternoon the state Department of Health and the state Office of Children and Family Services said the mask mandate won’t include children between the ages of 2 and 5 in daycare sites.

“Both agencies understand how difficult it is to require the youngest children to wear masks, and have jointly agreed to revise guidance allowing child care providers to continue the practices and protocols that have been in place since the start of the pandemic by encouraging, not requiring, children aged 2-5 to wear masks, effective immediately,” the agencies said in a statement. “The safety of the children in child care programs is of paramount importance. As more families are returning to work, New York State is investing federal funds in stabilizing the industry and expanding child care programs throughout the state, especially in underserved areas.”

The full guidance from the state for mask-wearing at child care, summer camp and day camp programs can be found by clicking here.

Ortt issued this statement on Monday evening after the mask mandate was revised:

“This morning, my colleagues and I were joined by daycare providers and concerned parents from throughout the state at a virtual rally to speak out against the Governor’s misguided mask mandate for children in daycare settings. This mandate was never based in science or simple common-sense, especially at a time when he was signaling that mask wearing will soon be a thing of the past for many adults. It caused unnecessary frustration and confusion for providers and parents alike, and I’m glad to see it lifted.

“I want to thank the providers and parents who joined us to voice their opposition to this out-of-touch edict, and all of my Senate Republican colleagues for their advocacy on behalf of our youngest children.”

Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with law enforcement throughout the State, and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, will participate in the Click It or Ticket Campaign, which runs from May 24 through June 6, 2021.

The Click it or Ticket Campaign is a statewide enforcement campaign designed to save lives and reduce the severity of injuries by increasing safety restraint use. The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee has set a strategic goal to increase the observed statewide seat belt use rate and to decrease unrestrained occupant fatalities in passenger vehicles.

The strategies identified for accomplishing these goal include high visibility enforcement, public information and education.

This campaign is in collaboration with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Click it or Ticket: Seatbelts save Lives.

Costs of bus service exceeds revenues; ridership plummeted during pandemic

Photo by Tom Rivers: A fleet of about a dozen CATS buses are shown in the parking lot on South Main Street, where CATS and the Main Street Thrift Store are operated by Community Action.

Press Release, Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee

ALBION – For many years, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee has been a resource supporting reliable and affordable transportation services to community members in our two counties via the Community Action Transportation System, better known CATS.

The CATS program has been providing bus transportation service for established routes and for “on-demand” rides year-round, five days per week. Destinations included community health centers, doctor and hospital visits, treatment centers, clinics, dialysis, and retail store shopping.   Community Action services have been able to support clients who are elderly or disabled and who remain independent in their homes but do not own/drive a vehicle.

CATS bus transportation services have evolved where experienced and professional staff have dedicated themselves not only to ensuring maintained vehicles but have also provided very caring door-to-door and door-through-door service for some of our clients. The caring and courageous staff continued services throughout the Covid pandemic despite a drastic reduction in riders along with the added effort of sanitizing buses between trips.

While continuing to deliver excellent service to our clients, the current system of providing bus transportation has become exceedingly expensive for Community Action. Over recent years, many of our bus trips contain only one or two riders. Using buses to transport a single rider is extremely expensive and the costs have continued to rise with increases in insurance, bus maintenance, fuel and wages. CATS was established to fill a need in our community for safe transportation. However today, our friends at Rochester Transportation Services (RTS) and others are helping to fulfill this need.

It is with a heavy heart that Community Action has made the decision to downsize the CATS bus transportation system after these many years of service.  With costs exceeding revenue, it was decided that this is necessary to protect our ability to provide the many unique and essential services we bring to our customers. This will be difficult and this process will take time.

Community Action will work with partners to do everything possible to ensure transportation needs are met by offering other transportation options to our Community Action clients.  We will continue to provide busing for our Head Start program. As we go through this process we will research the possibility to evolve our community transportation support to vans and energy efficient vehicles that meet the special needs of valued customers.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that, based on current Covid trajectory, all New York State schools will reopen for full in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year beginning in September.

“Our children lost so much as Covid struck our state,” Cuomo said today. “A year of socialization, a year of memories, and even more.

“While teachers and school administrators did an incredible job pivoting to remote learning with virtually zero notice, there’s no denying the discrimination students who did not have the right equipment faced.

“With the way our Covid numbers are currently trending, there is no reason why our students should not get back to in-person learning as usual and we look forward to welcoming them back. If there is a change in the trajectory of the virus, we will revisit the decision.”

UPDATE: New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta issued the following statement today following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s comments about reopening schools this fall:

“Educators know that being in person is the best way for students to learn and for teachers to teach. We support offering full-time in-person instruction five days a week and await formal guidance for the fall on how districts, working with educators and parents, should craft their plans to bring all students back to the classroom.”

Photos by Alicia Vanderwalker: FaithAnn Vanderwalker, a senior at Medina High School, celebrates her graduation this past weekend from Genesee Community College by throwing her cap in the air.

MEDINA – FaithAnn Vanderwalker has achieved an honor rarely attained by youth her age. She has graduated from college before she finished high school.

FaithAnn, a daughter of Todd and Alicia Vanderwalker of Stone Road, graduated this weekend from Genesee Community College with a degree in liberal arts and natural sciences, a month before she will graduate from Medina High School as valedictorian.

Her future plans include attending the State University of New York School of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse to major in wildlife biology and environmental science.

FaithAnn earned more than 90 college credits during the last four years of high school. She was a member of the Advanced College Studies ACE class, where she began her college journey while in Middle School, after being nominated for the two-year math/science prep program, according to her mother Alicia. FaithAnn attended college classes concurrently while enrolled in advanced classes at Medina High School.

In addition, FaithAnn was on the Provost List for having a GPA at the college of higher than 3.75, and was part of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Along with her extra courseload during the past six years, she participated in the Medina Mustang Marching Band and is a three-sport athlete.

In sixth grade, FaithAnn won first place in the Math Science Prep Science Fair during her enrollment process for college. More than 200 students from the GLOW region were nominated for the program and they then needed to apply and complete knowledge tests in math. Only the top 50 made it into the program and went on to compete in the science fair.

FaithAnn Vanderwalker

FaithAnn is also very involved in her church and youth group, with whom she has gone on two mission trips to Mexico, where they are helping to build an orphanage. In her free time, FaithAnn has chickens, goats and a large garden. She loves the outdoors and is currently working on hiking the 46 high peaks in the Adirondacks. She has won first place in the 90-mile Adirondack Canoe Classic with her dad.

“FaithAnn gives her all to everything she has done and has made her family, school, church and community so proud of her,” her mother said.

Nearly 1,000 people have drowned in the Great Lakes since 2010

Press Release, Assemblyman Mike Norris

Assemblyman Mike Norris (R,C-Lockport) was alarmed to learn that with so many people seeking outdoor recreation during the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of cases of drowning were also on the rise – particularly in the Great Lakes. To address this, he has authored important legislation (A.6141) to foster a long-term plan to help more New Yorkers learn to swim.

(Click here to see more about the “commission to prevent childhood drowning,” which will evaluate and develop programs to educate and instruct children how to swim and water safety.

“Summer is unofficially kicking off this month and there are so many great ways to get out and enjoy the water right here in our district: the Erie Canal, Lake Ontario, and swimming pools. It is an essential life skill to know how to swim, but I have been shocked to learn how few people are prepared,” said Norris. “The goal of my legislation is to help develop a comprehensive statewide plan and to raise awareness so that people, especially at a young age, will be able to learn this lifesaving skill in an easier, more affordable and accessible way across our state to be confident in the water.”

Norris pointed to the tragic drowning of an 18-year-old Lockport High School graduate in 2011, who fell into the water off a dock while fishing with friends along the canal. He was trying to retrieve a fallen fishing pole when he slipped and fell in. He did not know how to swim, nor did any of his friends.

“This is a tragedy I hope never happens again,” Norris said. “Unfortunately, drowning deaths are up and drowning is still a leading cause of death in young children under the age of 5. But education is key. Teaching people, especially children at a younger age, basic water safety can save their lives and prevent more deaths.”

According to researchers, some of the increase has to do with the Covid-19 pandemic and the “pandemic fatigue” people are feeling. As tired as people are of feeling shut in or of following rules, when they go to the beach or other outdoor places to explore, it is tempting not to follow the rules as posted and take unnecessary risks – especially when there are no lifeguards to enforce them.

In fact, a study of the increase in drowning in lakes Michigan, Ontario and Huron by Ocean and Coastal Management found a direct correlation to drownings spiking when states were reopening from stay-at-home orders. Experts also warn of swimmers overestimating their ability to know how to swim to being a strong enough swimmer to handle the unsparing conditions in the Great Lakes.

To stay safe this summer, Norris recommends swimming near a lifeguard, following all rules and regulations (including wearing personal floatation devices), and designating a water-watcher to keep a steady eye on children near the water’s edge. He also suggests signing up for swim lessons, widely available for infants, children and adults at many community not-for-profits like the YMCA or JCC, through town recreation programs, or many other clubs, sports and fitness centers, and camps.

Having introduced his new bill, Norris is now working across the aisle with colleagues to garner more support for the initiative and said he hopes that by working together he and his colleagues can enact a measure that will help reduce the number of drownings in our state once and for all.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Albion firefighters, with Stan Farone at the front of the hose, spray water under a porch that was burning at 113 Platt St. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 12:04 p.m. for reports of a structure fire.

A chair, small dresser and other contents were damaged on the porch. Firefighters pulled out some boards from below the porch that had caught on fire.

The residents of the home, including several dogs, are expected to be able to return soon.

Albion police officer Robert Wagner was one of the first on the scene and used a fire extinguisher to knock down the fire.

Bill Francis, who lives next door and is a member of the AFD, also was quick to arrive on scene and used a fire extinguish to help stop the fire.

An Albion firefighter said the residents were fortunate the fire happened during the daylight where it was quickly spotted and firefighters were on scene right away. If it had happened at night the fire likely would have spread and become bigger.

An Orleans County fire investigator is at the scene to determine the cause. No other information is available.

Photos courtesy of Albion Central School – First Row, from left: Hannah Papponetti, Leah Pritchard and Belen Rosario Soto. Second Row: Aurora Serafin, Alyson Knaak, Kyle Kuehne, Elijah Lloyd, Charley London, Allison Mathes, Bailey Nesbitt and Paris Smith. Third Row: Leah Kania, Eli Pask, Zachary Olles, Reuben Rivers, Presley Smith, Sydney Mulka and Colleen Usselman. Missing from photo: Adrian Kingdollar.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – Albion High School inducted 38 students into the National Honor Society (NHS) on May 12.

Split into two in-person events so as to limit the number of people gathered at one time, the ceremony was once again held in the Middle School Auditorium, NHS Advisor Suzane Newton explained.

“It was a night to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of these students in the areas of character, service, leadership, and scholarship,” Newton said. “The current officers led the inductees through the ceremony and we were grateful to be able to have an in-person ceremony this year.”

In order to join, inductees needed to meet the criteria, set by NHS, for their scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

First Row: (left to right) Emily Graham, Kenzi Hapeman and Emily Harling. Second Row: Olivia Bieber, Abigail Allen, Carson Bader, James Beach, Katelyn Beach, Nicolina Creasey and Ann Faery. Third Row: Zachary Albright, Hannah Coolbaugh, Bailey Blanchard, Collin Capurso, Anthony Freeman, Jeffrey Brown, Ethan Ferchen and Tyler Gibson. Missing from photo: Fjolla Bela.

After reciting the NHS pledge, the students were received by the club officers, Alexa Grandy (Secretary), Saleya Williams (Treasurer), Emily Mergler (Vice-President), and Ashley Ames (President), who invited the newly inducted members on stage to sign the membership book, receive their membership pin, and their certificate.

The newly inducted NHS members include Zachary Albright, Abigail Allen, Carson Bader, James Beach, Katelyn Beach, Fjolla Bela, Olivia Bieber, Bailey Blanchard, Jeffrey Brown, Hannah Coolbaugh, Collin Capurso, Nicolina Creasey, Ann Faery, Ethan Ferchen, Anthony Freeman, Tyler Gibson, Emily Graham, Kenzi Hapeman, Emily Harling, Leah Kania, Alyson Knaak, Adrian Kingdollar, Kyle Kuehne, Elijah Lloyd, Charley London, Allison Mathes, Sydney Mulka, Bailey Nesbitt, Zachary Olles, Hannah Papponetti, Eli Pask, Leah Pritchard, Reuben Rivers, Belen Rosario Soto, Aurora Serafin, Paris Smith, Presley Smith, and Colleen Usselman.

Congratulations everyone!

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Debbie Rothmund, center, director of the Eastern Orleans Community Center, accepts a check for $6,000 from the Odd Fellow and Rebekah Benefit Fund. Representing the Fund are, from left, Eugene Urban, former director of the Odd Fellow and Rebekah Home in Lockport for more than 30 years;  and board members Oradell Banker, Clement Olson and Barbara Quick.

HOLLEY – The Eastern Orleans Community Center got a boost Friday when representatives from the Odd Fellow and Rebekah Benefit Fund visited the center to present them with a check for $6,000.

Appearing on behalf of the Fund were Eugene Urban, former director of the Odd Fellow and Rebekah Home in Lockport for more than 30 years; and board members Oradell Banker of Mehoopany, Pa.; Barbara Quick of Binghamton; and Clement Olson of North Tonawanda.

The donation came about because the Odd Fellow and Rebekah Benefit Fund had money to donate from the sale of their Odd Fellow and Rebekah Rehabilitation Center in Lockport 3 1/2 years ago.

“The courts decided how the money was to be dispersed,” said Banker.  “We have money available to donate to agencies which provide or support delivery of programs to promote physical, social or mental health. Healthcare is more than a doctor, dentist or hospital.”

Banker went on her computer looking for 501c3 agencies.

“I read about each one that fit our criteria,” she said. “There was the Eastern Orleans Community Center, and I called Debbie and told her we have financial help available, if you’re interested.”

Debbie Rothmund runs the Community Center and Banker told her how to get a grant application. Rothmund wrote the grant for the purchase of food, containers, dehumidifiers and computers. Once it was received, the donation committee reviewed it and took it to the board, which approved the  $6,000 gift.

“I can’t tell you how much we appreciate it,” Rothmund said.

Banker said they’d like to come in the future and see how the Community Center is making use of the funds.

During the week, the Community Center provides meals five days a week. During the pandemic, they provided 800 Grab and Go meals a month, and still continue to do it.

“It’s not just that we feed people,” said Annette Finch, director of Emergency Services at Community Action, which runs the Community Center. “The people who come in here take of each other. If one doesn’t show up one day, someone else is on the phone checking up on them. We also make sure the people who can’t cook go home with food for the weekends.”

Another service the Community Center provides is making food donations from Wegman’s three times a week available outside for people to pick up.

A donation last year from the local Lions Club has resulted in another service to the community, Finch said.

“With their donation we were able to buy a generator, and we are now considered a warming center,” she said.

She cited an instance last winter when several families were forced from their burning apartment house in the middle of the night. The victims were taken in their pajamas, some shoeless, to the Community Center, where they were warmed and fed. A clothing depot maintained next door by the Center provided shoes and clothing for the families.

Four representatives from the Odd Fellow & Rebekah Benefit Fund visited the Eastern Orleans Community Center in Holley on Friday afternoon to present them with a donation. From Community Action are Rachael Escobar, assistant at the Center; Annette Finch, director of Emergency Services; Renee Hungerford, executive director; and from the Benefit Fund, Oradell Banker of Mehoopany, Pa., Barbara Quick of Binghamton, Clement Olson of North Tonawanda and Eugene Urban of East Amherst. At right is Debbie Rothmund, director of the Community Center.

Rothmund added the Center is a destination for many children who come after school when their parents are working.

“They know we are a safe place to hang out,” she said.

The Center also sponsored cooking classes and special speakers before Covid restrictions were placed on their activities.

“We are going to continue those things, now that we can get back in the swing of things,” Rothmund said.

“I don’t know what people in the community would do without the Community Center,” Finch added.

Urban explained how the Odd Fellow and Rebekah Lodge has a history steeped in helping others.

“The primary tenets of our organization are caring for widows and orphans and burying their dead,” he said. These go back four or five hundred years, when somebody took the responsibility of seeing that widows had food on the table, that their children were cared for and their dead were buried.”

Olson explained how centuries ago the Masonic Lodge in England was formed by men whose livelihood was the masonic trade.

“When a group of men wanted to join, they were refused because they were not masons by trade,” Olson said. “Those men decided to form their own group, calling themselves ‘Odd Fellows’ due to the fact it was considered odd at the time for someone to care about others, such as widows and their children.”

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Jim Horncastle, master of the Albion Renovation Lodge 97, presents an honorary membership to Don Ross on Friday evening, which was also on Ross’s 101^st birthday.

Ross celebrated his birthday at Tillman’s Village Inn with family and friends, including many local Masons. Ross is a member of the Towpath Lodge, which includes Medina and Middleport Masons.

Horncastle and the Albion Masons wanted to recognize Ross, who has been a Mason for 78 years.

“In our area he is very well known,” Horncastle said. “He’s been around for years and years. It’s very inspiring for guys like me.”

Ross, a Barre resident, ran a plumbing business for 40 years in Albion. He joined the Masons when he was 22. He was a pin boy as a kid, setting up bowling pins on two lanes owned by the Masonic Lodge. The members were always good to him, and welcomed him to join the lodge as a young adult. Ross served the lodge in many roles over the past 78 years.

Ross’s late wife, Bernadine, also has been a member of the Order of the Eastern Star for 77 years.

Provided photo: Don Ross is pictured with some of the members of the Masonic Lodge in Albion including from left: Kyle Webb, Jim Horncastle, Joe Martillotta and Tim McGee.

The Albion lodge currently has 55 members.

“We’re here to do what we can for the community,” Horncastle said. “In our lodge there are many wonderful mentors. It’s a chance to spend time with people I consider brothers.”

Photos courtesy of Brundage family

Ben and his mother Sarah are congratulated on their finish by Ben’s dad and Sarah’s husband Dan Brundage, who also has run the Sehgahunda before.

LETCHWORTH STATE PARK – Ben Brundage, 14, of Kendall was the youngest to finish a trail marathon, the Sehgahunda, on Saturday at Letchworth State Park. He was the only finisher in the 19 and under age group.

The Sehgahunda is considered one of the most difficult trail marathons in the east coast. It has over 3,000 feet of elevation change.

Participants have 8 hours to complete the course which is 26.3 miles, an extra tenth of a mile on a traditional marathon course.

Ben, a Kendall ninth-grader, beat the cutoff, finishing in 7 hours, 46 minutes and 47 seconds.

His mother, Sarah Brundage, also finished the challenging course in 7:48:37. It was the third time Mrs. Brundage, 38, has completed the Sehgahunda.

“Ben wanted to run a marathon before graduating high school,” Mrs. Brundage said. “He chose this one because my husband Dan and I have run it before and he knew it would challenge him.”

Ben trained for the race by running 420 miles in the past 4 ½ months. He also ran cross country for Kendall in the fall, and is on Kendall’s track team, running the distance events – the 1 and 2 mile.

Group makes sure veterans recognized at Millville, West Shelby, Marshall Road and Bates Road cemeteries

Zach McAdoo, a volunteer from the community, places a flag on a veteran’s grave in Millville Cemetery on Saturday morning. McAdoo was one of a handful of community members who assisted the Lincoln Post VFW and Butts-Clark American Legion Post.

Jim Freas, standing at right, instructs Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and members of the VFW and American Legion in Medina on placing flags on veterans’ graves in local cemeteries.

MEDINA – Placing flags on veterans’ graves before Memorial Day has been a tradition for veterans’ groups in Medina for decades.

The only thing that has changed is that the number of veterans who turn out to volunteer is declining, said Dave Kusmierczak, a member of the Butts-Clark American Legion and Lincoln VFW posts in Medina.

As is customary, the veterans met at the VFW Post on East Center, along with members of Girl Scout Troop 82094, Cub Scout Pack 28, their leaders and parents and several community volunteers.

Jim Freas welcomed the group and explained the cemeteries they would be visiting. He said a handful of veterans last week had already placed flags on a dozen of small cemeteries located throughout the Medina area.

On Saturday, the volunteers went to Millville Cemetery, West Shelby, Marshall Road and Bates Road. In all, they estimate they placed more than 500 flags on veterans’ graves.

The flags will remain in the cemeteries until after Veterans’ Day in November, when the volunteers will return to retrieve them.

Veterans who placed flags on veteran’s graves in Millville Cemetery were, from left, Norm Slayer, a Korean War veteran, Steve Johnson, Dave Kusmierczak and Glen Whitmore, all members of the VFW and American Legion in Medina.

Tony Vicknair, a member of the VFW and American Legion in Medina was one of less than a dozen veterans who helped place flags on veterans’ graves Saturday morning.

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have new sites this week for vaccine clinics, with Covid-19 vaccine shots offered for free at the American Legion in Holley and the Kendall fire hall.

“With everyone looking forward to the summer and the looser restrictions we encourage everyone to get vaccinated now,” said Paul Pettit, public health director in Genesee and Orleans counties. “There continue to be plenty of options to get any of the three vaccines offered. For your health and the health of others, we encourage everyone who is able to be vaccinated, to get vaccinated now.”

Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna clinics offer walk-in opportunities. However, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments encourage people to register. Walk-ins are available on a first come, first serve basis. The Pfizer vaccine is approved to vaccinate anyone 12 and older.

“We have been very successful with the pop-up clinics,” Pettit said. “We are finding many people are happy to be getting their vaccination closer to where they work and play. The scheduling is a great opportunity for more people to get vaccinated. Being fully vaccinated, 2 weeks after the second dose for Moderna and Pfizer and 2 weeks after the single dose of Johnson & Johnson will help us enjoy the spring and summer activities with less restrictions.”

These are the vaccination clinics offered this week by the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:

• Ridgeway Fire Hall on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon at 11392 Ridge Rd., Medina with Moderna for walk-ins and appointments (click here) and Johnson & Johnson for walk-ins and appointments (click here).

• GCC Athletic Arena on Wednesday from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at 1 College Rd., Batavia with Pfizer for walk-ins and appointments (click here) and Johnson & Johnson for walk-ins and appointments (click here).

• Holley American Legion on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 5 Wright St. with entrance off Parkway Street. Vaccines include Moderna for walk-ins and appointments (click here) and Johnson & Johnson for walk-ins.

• Kendall Fire Department on Thursday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at 1879 Kendall Rd. Vaccines include Moderna for walk-ins and appointments (click here) and Johnson & Johnson for walk-ins.

For those who do not have internet they can call the GO Health Vaccine Registration Help Lines in Orleans at (585) 589-3170 and Genesee at (585) 815-7168. These lines are only to make vaccine appointments and not to answer Covid-related questions. They are not associated with either Health Department.

Any business, church or organization that is interested in hosting a vaccination clinic is urged to fill out a survey (click here) and a Health Department staff member will then be in contact.

Both health departments continue to provide limited free rapid testing for those without symptoms at the respective Health Departments.

For Orleans County, a rapid test clinic is scheduled for May 26 from 10 to 10:30 a.m. at the Orleans County Health Department at 14016 Rt. 31 West, Albion. Click here to register.

For Genesee County, a rapid test drive-through clinic is scheduled for May 27 from 1:15 to 3:15 p.m. at County Building #2, 3837 West Main St. Road, Batavia. Click here to register.