Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt
Rob Ortt, state senator from North Tonawanda and the State Senate’s Republican Leader, issued this statement today:
“Governor Cuomo’s newest order – a mask mandate for children as young as two years-old in daycare settings – is just the latest gross overreach by him and his disgraced Health Commissioner Howard Zucker.
“At a time when even the Governor is signaling that mask wearing may soon be a thing of the past, it is baffling that this Administration is mandating something that has no basis in science or data.
“It’s time for the Governor and his team to get back in touch with reality and reverse this mandate immediately. If they do not, the Legislature must act.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 May 2021 at 11:54 am
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board has dissolved a Police Reform Committee that formed last summer and prepared a plan that needed to be submitted to the state as part of a police reform and collaboration mandate from Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Medina sent its plan to the state in late March. That fulfilled the committee’s mission, which also included dialogue with the community about policing.
Medina village officials want to keep the discussion going, continue to look about local policing policies, and offer residents at least an annual opportunity to offer input on the Police Department.
The board is looking to fill spots on a new Police Advisory Committee. Village officials and the Police Department will reach out to members of the Police Reform Committee to see if they want to serve on the advisory committee. One of the reform committee’s recommendations was creating the advisory group.
“This advisory committee can continue the work that was started, and attempt to further build positive relations with the community,” said Lt. Todd Draper of the Medina Police Department.
The reform committee also has been asked to make recommendations of members of the new advisory committee. All members will need to be appointed by the Village Board.
The initial 12 members of the reform committee included Daniel Doctor, Pastor Jovannie Canales, Mayor Michael Sidari, Jacquie Chinn, Lt. Todd Draper, Scott Robinson, Sherry Tuohey, Chief Chad Kenward, David and Cynthia King, District Attorney Joe Cardone and Public Defender Joanne Best.
The initial reform committee updated and reviewed policies on use of force, mental health, body worn cameras, community relations, civilian personnel complaints, performance evaluations, handling deadly force incidents, and use of firearms including taser and less lethal shotgun.
The committee recommended the advisory board include a cross-section of the community and meet regularly. That community policing board would work towards forming better relations between law enforcement and the community.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 May 2021 at 10:59 am
Organizers don’t expect to have Super Cruise on Main Street later in summer
File photo by Tom Rivers: Classic cars are lined up on Main Street during the Super Cruise on Sept. 2, 2015 when part of Main Street in Medina was blocked off. The car show will be held in the Canal Basin on Fridays from June 11 until Aug. 27.
MEDINA – The classic car cruise-ins will be back in Medina on Friday evenings beginning June 11. The events typically bring out 100 to 125 cars in the Canal Basin.
Last year the cruise-ins were cancelled early in the season because they were drawing crowds that exceeded the 150-person cap at the time, which was the maximum crowd limit set by the state with Covid-19 restrictions.
That cap currently is 500 people for outdoor gatherings. David Green, retired Orleans County sheriff, said there likely won’t be a Super Cruise with Main Street blocked off due to the large crowds that event draws. But he expects there will be a special event to close out the season on Aug. 27.
The events will be on Fridays from 5 to 7:30 p.m. People can just drive in with a classic car and they are encouraged to set up in chairs behind their cars.
Medina has been hosting the car shows on Fridays for more than 20 years. The event is sponsored by the United Way of Orleans County. There will be 50-50 raffles with proceeds going to the United Way.
DJ Hank Nevins will be back playing music. Green said several businesses have donated to cover the costs of the DJ.
SUNY and CUNY students eligible if families make up to $125,000 annually
Press Release Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the application for the Excelsior Scholarship for new applicants for the 2021-22 academic school year is now open.
The Excelsior Scholarship, in combination with other aid programs, allows eligible full-time students to attend a SUNY or CUNY two-year or four-year college tuition-free. Click here to apply.
“Given the economic impact families are facing throughout our State, it is more important than ever that students have access to financial support that enables them to realize their dream of pursuing their education regardless of race, class or social status,” Governor Cuomo said. “The Excelsior Scholarship provides the financial resources for tens of thousands of students to receive a high-quality education in New York’s world-class education system without the burden of worry or debt.”
To be eligible for an Excelsior Scholarship for the 2021-22 academic year, household federal adjusted gross income can total up to $125,000. Student must also meet the following eligibility requirements:
Plan to attend a SUNY or CUNY two or four-year college
Complete 30 credits per year towards their program of study (including Summer and Winter terms)
Be on track to graduate on time with an Associate’s Degree in two years or a Bachelor’s Degree in four years
Recipients must also plan to live in New York State for the length of time they received the award.
The 2021-22 Excelsior Scholarship application is open to first-time students entering college in the Fall 2021 and current college students who have never received the Excelsior Scholarship. Current Excelsior Scholarship recipients should not complete this application. Students eligible for the Excelsior Scholarship under the Senator José Peralta New York State DREAM Act can apply by clicking here.
Nearly 230,000 New York residents attend CUNY or SUNY tuition-free thanks to the addition of students receiving the Excelsior Scholarship.
Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2021.
SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras said, “While relieved to finally restore some normalcy on our campuses this fall, the pandemic’s financial impact on New York State families will reverberate for years to come. College access and affordability is more important today than ever. Individuals should not have to take on debilitating amounts of debt to pay for college, while their families suffer and try to recover from the economic repercussions Covid. The Excelsior Scholarship will give New Yorkers a real chance at attaining a world class education, achieving social mobility, and pursuing their dreams—regardless of how their lives and families were affected by Covid-19.”
A Gold Star pilgrimage mother at the grave of her son.
We are familiar with the term “Gold Star Mother” as a reference to those mothers whose son or daughter died or became missing in action while serving with the United States Armed Forces.
The symbol which originated in World War I referred to the flags hung by servicemen’s families in the windows of their homes. Each living family member in the Armed Forces was represented by a blue star. A gold star represented a son or daughter who had died in combat.
The World War I Gold Star Mother Pilgrimages are less well known. This unique program acknowledged the grief of those mothers and widows whose loved ones had perished in the Great War and who were buried in Europe. It also acknowledged the healing power of standing by a loved one’s place of burial.
Wartime burial of the deceased servicemen of WWI was a daunting task as well as a sensitive and hotly debated one. Some soldiers indicated their wishes to their families. Quentin Roosevelt, for example, told his family to “Let the young oak lie where it fell.” Others indicated that they wished to be buried alongside their brothers-in-arms. The Allies felt that the war dead should be buried in Europe, honoring their sacrifice for the land they fought to free. But many families chose repatriation and about 46,000 remains were returned. Some 30,791 were buried in Europe, in eight cemeteries: six in France, one in Belgium and one in England.
Boarding passes and tickets were issued to Gold Star mothers and widows.
After the war, many of the families who could afford to went to visit the grave of their loved one. Accompanied by her son, Theodore Jr., Edith Roosevelt went to visit her son Quentin’s grave in France in Feb. 1919. Poet Joyce Kilmer’s parents visited his grave in Sept. 1920. These visits were publicized, and they encouraged other families to do likewise. Throughout the 1920’s Gold Star Mothers traveled on privately funded trips, or in 1929, as part of the American Legion’s 2nd American Expeditionary Force Convention held in Paris in 1927.
Congressman Fiorello LaGuardia, NY, introduced the first bill proposing publicly funded European cemetery visits for mothers, fathers and widows of servicemen. The bill was defeated, but a bill finally passed in 1929 which authorized the Secretary of War to arrange for pilgrimages to the European cemeteries: “by mothers and widows of members of military and naval forces of the United States who died in the service at any time between April 5, 1917, and July 1, 1921, and whose remains are now interred in such cemeteries.”
Later, mothers and widows of men who died and were buried at sea or who died at sea or overseas and whose places of burial were unknown were also included for eligibility.
The Office of the Quartermaster General, under the supervision of Major-General Cheatham, was charged with overseeing the program which was to run from 1930-1933. Those who had visited the graves were not eligible. Also, widows who had remarried were not eligible. It was determined that 17,389 women were eligible. Then came the daunting task of contacting them. Many had moved, remarried or died since the end of the war and indeed, many letters were returned unclaimed. There were 11,780 responses. But many of those who responded declined the offer, due to age or ill-health.
All told, 6,654 women made the pilgrimage. They were to be allowed two weeks for the trip, all at government expense with an allocation of $840 each.
An article in the Medina Daily Journal March 7, 1930, indicated that seven Gold Star Mothers from Orleans County were deemed eligible:
Mrs. Virginia Arnett of Millville, whose son, Dr. John Arnett, was a first lieutenant with the Medical Reserve Corps and who was buried in Flanders Field.
Mrs. Lillian A. Brooks, 13 East Ave., Albion, whose son, Jesse S. was a private with Company E of the 108th Infantry and who was buried at Somme.
Mrs. Orrin F. Butts of Medina, whose son, Revenue James, was a private with Company B of the 53rd Engineers and who was buried at Oisne-Aisne.
Mrs. Edna A. Clark of 357 South Ave., Medina, whose son James P. a corporal in Company F. of the 108th Infantry and who was buried at Somme.
Mrs. Ester Kuramski, of 7 Brown St., Albion, whose son, John, was a private in the 51st Company of the 5th Regiment of the United States Marine Corps and who was buried at Oisne-Aisne.
Mrs. Grace Mott, of 738 Church St., Medina, whose son, Dewey Graydon was a private in the 82nd Company of the 6th Regiment, United States Marine Corps and who was buried at Oisne-Aisne.
Mrs. Effa Stevens of 21 West State St., Albion, whose son, John H., was a second lieutenant with the 147th Aero Squadron and who was buried at Oisne-Aisne.
Grave of Lieut. Dr. John D. Arnett of Millville is shown at Flanders Field, Belgium. His mother visited the site on a trip in 1931 for Gold Star Mothers.
The Medina Daily Journal of April 10, 1931, reported that three of the mothers planned to make the trip. Mrs. Effa Stevens of Albion was to sail on the liner America on May 13, while Mrs. Edna Clark and Mrs. Virginia Arnett were to sail on June 25 on the President Roosevelt.
Upon their return, Mrs. Arnett and Mrs. Clark reported in the Medina Daily Journal of July 27, 1931, that every consideration had been shown them on their trip. They enjoyed a calm voyage along with a group of 99 other Gold Star Mothers and Widows. Two of the mothers on board had lost sons at sea and memorial services for these men were held on the journey over.
The group spent several days in Paris and then divided into groups of 25 for the visits to the cemeteries. Each group had a doctor, two nurses and a lieutenant in attendance. Mrs. Clark recounted that there was an American caretaker at each cemetery, and that the white marble headstones were polished to a glittering brightness. Flowers could not be planted on the graves and the grass was close trimmed. Each mother was given a large bouquet of cut flowers and a large wreath to place on the grave and was allowed time at the grave. An official photographer captured the image of each woman at her loved one’s grave. The groups stayed in the vicinity for a few days, so that mothers could get a sense of the area where their son or husband had died.
Following a few days of relaxation in Paris, they returned on the President Washington. They encountered rough seas which lasted for four days but arrived safely home. They felt much comforted by the trip.
For additional information on this remarkable event, read The Gold Star Mother Pilgrimages of the 1930’s by John W. Graham, available through the NIOGA Library System.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 20 May 2021 at 8:12 am
MEDINA – United Way of Orleans County is on track for another record-breaking golf tournament, following the most successful event in the agency’s history last year.
In spite of the pandemic, United Way of Orleans County successfully put together an event in June last year at Shelridge Country Club which raised a record $19,206.39.
United Way director Dean Bellack has been promoting this year’s golf tournament June 4 for several weeks and already the event is a sellout with 36 teams signed up.
Unlike last year, when Covid restrictions forced United Way to offer a take-home chicken barbecue, this year’s event will feature a buffet dinner.
The golf tournament has been an important fundraiser for United Way for decades, having started as the Van Hungerford Golf tournament in honor of United Way’s founder.
“This event has been one of our largest single day events, and every dollar stays in Orleans County to benefit those in need,” Bellack said. “We have been blessed this year with more contributions from the community, and we wish to thank everyone who gave and who plans to give in the future.”
It is not too late for anyone who wants to support United Way to be involved with the golf tournament, by volunteering to help the day of the event, by becoming a hole sponsor, purchasing an ad in the program or donating a prize or a basket for the raffle.
To date, volunteers have signed up from Baxter, Velociti, CRFS and Medina Memorial Hospital.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is joining his colleagues in the Assembly Minority calling for the passage of a bill (A.7107) that would prohibit statewide elected officials from profiting on published works while serving in their position.
This legislative push follows news that Gov. Cuomo will be earning over $5 million on a book deal for a memoir he wrote during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, a time when over 15,000 seniors passed away in nursing homes under his administration’s watch.
“To think that the governor and his staff would be concerned with writing a self-promotional memoir while working at the same time to hide information about the tragedy happening in our nursing homes is incredibly disconcerting,” Hawley said. “It’s also an example of why we need laws like this to ensure our public officials are putting their service to the public before their own personal gain.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 May 2021 at 12:13 pm
Tim Hortons in Medina hosting bracelet sale May 25 for Medina native battling ALS
Provided photos: Jimmer Szatkowski has on boxing gloves to show he plans to fight ALS, following his diagnosis of the disease.
MEDINA – The Tim Hortons on Maple Ridge Road will be hosting an ALS awareness event on May 25. Andrew Szatkowski will be selling “Team Jimmer” bracelets to raise money for ALS research and trials.
Szatkowski is leading the effort in honor of his brother Jimmer, who was diagnosed with ALS last month. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, 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.
Jimmer has already raised over $8,000 for ALS with donations through the Tackle ALS website.
“I was diagnosed with ALS in April 2021,” he writes on his fundraising page for the site. “God is good always, and I am still climbing by his Grace. I accept nothing besides His greatness. I intend to fight this disease and to help a whole lot of people along the way. Please join me in the fight. God Bless, Jimmer#keepgrinding”
Jimmer’s brother Andrew has been active in the community in recent years, raising funds in annual toy drive and helping to send local kids to summer camp.
Andrew works as director of operations at Takeform in Medina. He also is a frequent customer at Tim Hortons. He talked with Joey Fillippelli, who runs the Tim Hortons in Medina and he agreed to host the ALS fundraiser from the site’s parking lot. Tim Hortons will also donate $1 for every $5 bracelet sold that day.
“This is all happening because of people who care,” Szatkowski said today. “It is people helping people. I know we can make an impact as a community.”
Szatkowski will be out early in the morning on May 25 selling the bracelets and expects to be there until 5 p.m.
He has already sold about $700 of the bracelets and heard from several in the community who have lost loved ones to ALS.
Jimmer Szatkowski has set a goal to raise $1 million to help fund research and trials for ALS, which currently doesn’t have a cure.
Andrew Szatkowski will be selling these bracelets and cards for $5 on May 25 outside Tim Hortons in Medina to raise money for ALS research and clinical trials.
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.
The other side of the card includes a Bible verse from Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Masking and social distancing still required for those not vaccinated
Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office
File photo by Tom Rivers: A child swings at Camp Rainbow in Ridgeway in this photo from August 2015. Camp Rainbow is owned and operated by the Arc of Genesee Orleans, which will offer the camp this summer.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced updated guidance for health and safety measures at childcare, day camp, and overnight camp programs, effective May 19.
The measures include protocols for Covid testing, physical distancing and sanitation, among other requirements to help prevent Covid-19 cases. The Department of Health will continue to monitor and evaluate health metrics for child care facilities and camp programs and, if necessary, will issue further guidance.
“We are continuing to make incredible progress against Covid and lifting restrictions based on the science and numbers, but we are not yet at the finished line,” Cuomo said. “To help ensure maximum protections for staff and children at childcare and camp programs, we are issuing this guidance so the facilities can implement basic but critical measures that will allow them to operate safely.”
Facilities and programs must collect Covid-19 vaccination status and documentation for all staff and children, and implement mandatory daily health screening practices of their staff and visitors including daily temperature checks. Facilities and programs need to notify the state and local health department immediately upon being informed of any positive Covid-19 test result by a staff member or child at their site.
Each site must implement a property-specific capacity limitation for children and campers that ensures appropriate social distancing. Staff who are not fully vaccinated must maintain a distance of at least six feet from other unvaccinated staff.
Children and campers over the age of two and staff who are not fully vaccinated must wear face coverings except when eating, drinking, showering, swimming, or sleeping/resting. Since face coverings have been proven to be effective when distancing is not feasible, facilities and programs must provide and require the use of face coverings for individuals who are not fully vaccinated.
Additional hygiene and cleaning and disinfection requirements as advised by the CDC and Department of Health must also be followed.
Full guidance for facilities and programs is available by clicking here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 May 2021 at 10:42 am
NY also lifts capacity restrictions for many businesses
Starting today fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask in most cases when they are in public settings, both indoors and outdoors.
The state has also eased the capacity restrictions for many businesses and venues.
“Today is a milestone in New York State’s war against Covid,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a news release this morning. “With positivity and hospitalization rates at their lowest levels since last fall, and more than 10 million New Yorkers having received at least one vaccine dose, today New York State is adopting the CDC’s updated guidance on masks and social distancing.”
“This means that, 399 days after New York was the first state in the country to implement a mask mandate, effective today, fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to use a face covering in most public places,” Cuomo said. “New York is coming back, and it’s a testament to the strength and grit of New Yorkers who banded together, stayed tough, and fought as one to defeat this Covid beast.”
In most settings, vaccinated individuals will not be required to wear a mask, according to the CDC and the new state guidelines. Unvaccinated individuals, under both CDC and state guidance, must wear masks in all public settings.
Businesses also have the option to continue to enforce mask wearing, even for those who are vaccinated.
The state is still requiring masks at for Pre-K to 12 schools, public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes and healthcare settings.
The state is lifting the restrictions on capacity for most businesses today. And businesses can eliminate the required 6 feet of social distancing for fully vaccinated people – but only if all patrons within the establishment or a separate designated part of the establishment — present proof of full vaccination status, Cuomo’s office said in a news release. Proof of full vaccination status can be provided by patrons through paper form, digital application, or the State’s Excelsior Pass.
“The steps we’re taking today don’t mean that Covid has been officially relegated to the history books,” Cuomo said. “We need to stay vigilant, continue to follow the safety guidelines in place, and help every single eligible New Yorker get vaccinated, so that we can finally reach that light at the end of the tunnel.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: This group of boaters, including many with sailboats, were out June 30, 2016 in Lake Ontario near the Oak Orchard Harbor.
May 22-27, 2021 has been named National Safe Boating Week by the National Safe Boating Council in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
This is a good time to spend a few minutes considering what it takes to have a safe, fun boating season.
Are there any areas in our boat handling skills or our understanding of navigation rules that could use a refresher or more information about? Is all safety equipment on board and in working order?
During complimentary vessel safety checks provided by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or U.S. Power Squadron it is not uncommon to find a variety of both mandatory and recommended safety items inadvertently overlooked by even experienced boat owners.
The United States Coast Guard annual report “2019 Recreational Boating Statistics” prepared June 4, 2020 listed numerous statistics from their accident reports. Here are just a few:
79% fatalities were from drowning
86% of drowned victims were not wearing a life jacket
Alcohol was a leading factor in accidents with 23% of deaths involving alcohol
70% of accidents involved an operator with no formal boater training
Top five factors contributing to accidents were alcohol, inattention, inexperience, improper lookout and speed
For an in-depth look the full 83-page report can be found by clicking here.
New York State now requires a Boater’s Safety Certificate for powerboat operators, depending on their age and by January 2025 all power boaters, regardless of age, will need a boating safety certificate. Find information about a free boating safety course by clicking here.
Take advantage of a complimentary Vessel Safety Check (VSC) offered by local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or United States Power Squadrons to make sure all essential equipment is present, working and in good condition. Information about Vessel Safety Checks and a VSC pre-check list can be found on the United States Power Squadron, America’s Boating Club website.
An engine cut-off switch is a proven safety device to stop the boat’s engine should the operator unexpectedly fall overboard or move away from the helm. Effective April 1, 2021 federal law began requiring certain currently manufactured power boats to be equipped with an the cut-off switch.
Most power boats have been manufactured with an engine cut-off switch for many years but up until recent legislation their use has not been mandated. Using an ECOS is now required while operating power boats less than 26 feet in length that are equipped with an engine cut-off switch with an engine over 2-3 horsepower, an unenclosed helm and operating on plane or above displacement speed. More information can be found by clicking here.
Submitted by John Zimmerman, director Youth Sailing and Education for the Oak Orchard Yacht Club in Waterport – www.oakorchardyachtclub.org.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 May 2021 at 9:32 am
Provided photos: The Houseman-Tanner American Legion Post 1603 set up a POW/MIA table in front of Lyndonville’s Veterans Park for Memorial Day in 2020.
LYNDONVILLE – The American Legion Post in Lyndonville has decided against doing a Memorial Day parade this year on May 31 and there won’t be a public service.
The Legion will have a POW/MIA Table set up near the flagpole on Memorial Day morning at Veterans Park.
“Flags will be placed in the cemeteries,” said Steve Goodrich, commander of the Houseman-Tanner Post. “The Fallen will be remembered.”
This is the second Memorial Day where there won’t be a parade and public service. Goodrich said the Post is acting out of concern for the members. Many of them are elderly with health issues, Goodrich said.
“I simply refuse to place these gentlemen at risk,” he said.
He expects the parade and a public service will be back on schedule in 2022.
“I look forward to being able to return to our full observances next year,” Goodrich said.
Joseph Hausler, Adjutant of the Houseman-Tanner Post, played Taps during a Memorial Day Observance about a year ago. Steve Goodrich, the Post Commander, also was present for the service where the names of people were read from Lyndonville who are currently serving in the military.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2021 at 10:13 pm
KENDALL – School district residents approved a school budget for $19,980,729 budget today in a 171 to 70 vote.
The budget raises property taxes by 1 percent and preserves the district’s programs.
• Proposition No. 2 Transportation Bus Reserve Fund, which authorizes up to $250,000, passed with a vote of 196 to 45.
• Board of Election (1 position for 5-year term) – David Warren was elected with 121 votes, over incumbent Charles Patt with 106 and Robert McGregor with 13.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2021 at 9:50 pm
(Editor’s Note: This was updated from an earlier version that stated three candidates were elected to the BOE instead of four.)
HOLLEY – The school district’s proposed $26,150,000 budget passed today, with 359 yes votes and 137 against.
The budget increases spending by 1.44 percent or $370,000 from $25,780,000, the amount the past two school years. The budget increases taxes by 1.95 percent to $7,572,763, which is under the tax cap.
• Proposition No. 2 authorizes up to $318,000 to purchase two 72-seat passenger school buses and one 22-seat bus – passed 338 to 160.
• Proposition No. 3 authorizes $189,287 for Community Free Library in Holley – passed 358 to 141.
• Board of Education – Four candidates were elected to the Board of Education with three getting 3-year terms: Brian McKeon with 301 votes, Anne Smith with 298, and Salvatore DeLuca Jr. with 258. Tracy Van Ameron, 241 votes, was elected to a one-year term.
There were three other candidates: Nancy MacPhee, 178; Jennifer Verhagen, 170; and Michelle Hodge, 160.
All told, 6,654 women made the pilgrimage. They were to be allowed two weeks for the trip, all at government expense with an allocation of $840 each.
