Draper to end 21-year career with Medina PD on Aug. 30

Photos by Tom Rivers: Todd Draper receives the police chief’s pin from his father Don Draper, a retired Medina police chief, during a swearing in ceremony on June 12, 2023. Todd Draper announced he will be retiring Aug. 30, ending a 21 year career with the Medina PD, including about two years as the police chief.

MEDINA – Todd Draper, the Medina police chief, will be retiring from the role on Aug. 30. Draper has been the chief since June 12, 2023.

He has worked for Medina for 21 years, including 8 ½ years as a K9 handler until Kye, a Belgian Malinois, retired in November 2020.

Draper was praised for being a hard-working police chief with a strong commitment to his hometown.

“Todd will be missed tremendously by this village,” said Jess Marciano, a village trustee.

She has served on the National Night Out planning committee with Draper in recent years. The event next week on Sug. 5 will be in Medina and Draper will again be in the dunk tank. National Night Out is a drug-free event intended to connect residents with first responders and community organizations.

Marciano also was on a Police Advisry Committee with Draper for several years.

“Todd has been a very receptive police chief,” Marciano said during this evening’s board meeting. “I’m really sad to see him leave.”

Draper was congratulated by board members for his impending retirement. He leaves the village with another department head vacancy to fill following the resignation of Matt Jackson as fire chief on July 12. Jackson cited a “constant battle” with some board members for his resignation.

The police department has been understaffed with some officers leaving for other departments where the pay is much higher. The board during its budget process in April also announced it was ending the K9 program and no longer would be providing two school resource officers at Medina school district. The district reimbursed Medina for nearly all of the expense, but board members said it didn’t fully cover the cost and the two SROs were needed to help cover shifts in the department.

Mayor Marguerite Sherman said the police chief’s test won’t be offered until the spring 2026. Medina may have to do a conditional appointment to fill the position until a new chief can take and pass the exam.

Draper during his career completed a 10-week management/leadership program from the FBI’s National Academy in 2022. He completed six classes at the National Academy: Critical Incident Management, Essentials of Leadership, Physical Training/Wellness Breaking Barriers and Building Communities, and An Overview of Forensic Science for Law Enforcement Managers.

He welcomed the chance to work with community members. He will be at the National Night Out for what Marciano said will be an “extended” time in the dunk tank.

Todd Draper is shown on Oct. 28, 2020 when he stopped by the Oak Orchard Lementary School with Kye, the Medina PD’s retiring K9. Draper served as the dog’s handler for 8 ½ years. This photo was during the Covid pandemic when people were required to wear masks.

Carl Zenger has been very active presence at refuge since 1997

By Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

Provided photo: Carl Zenger has been a dedicated volunteer at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge for nearly 30 years.

BASOM – Carl Zenger of Lockport has been awarded the Refuge Volunteer of the Year in the 2025 National Wildlife Refuge Awards by the National Wildlife Refuge Association.

A former board member of the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and a retired mechanical engineer, Zenger is an integral part of the refuge. He has been recognized by peers, staff and the community for his unparalleled dedication to conservation. Since starting his volunteer journey in 1997, Zenger, 87, has invested over 44,000 hours — equivalent to 15½ years of a full-time employee.

“I’m not sure the refuge could operate without Carl — he’s such a treasure,” said Richard Moss, president of the Iroquois refuge Friends group. “We are planning to hold an award ceremony later this fall, likely in mid-October.”

In addition to this prestigious national award, Zenger was also named Volunteer of the Year for the Northeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and has been recognized by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney for his commitment to the community.

“Carl’s commitment truly embodies the spirit of John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inaugural message — ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,’” said Desirée Sorenson-Groves, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. “We congratulate and commend Carl for living this ideal and we thank him on behalf of all Americans for his contribution to conservation and to our world.”

The award ceremony in October will include representatives of the national association, members of the Zenger family, and other dignitaries. Moss said more information would be available closer to that event.

Zenger’s inspirational efforts include:

• Building hundreds of bluebird houses and toad abodes for outreach events.
• Leading outreach programs and initiating a multi-species cavity nesting program.
• Designing innovative nesting structures and pulley systems for safe and easy replacement.
• Supplementing calcium intake for purple martins by processing eggshells from local community events.
• Being a key proponent of our grassland habitat restoration team, mowing 200 acres annually and maintaining the refuge’s tractors for over sixteen years.

“Being chosen out of the entire national system for this honor is something special. If you see Carl, please join us in celebrating his incredible achievement and thanking him for his invaluable contributions to our community and the environment,” Moss said. “The refuge system has been hit hard by staff and budget cutbacks, going back well before the current round of federal budget scrutiny, so it is heavily dependent on volunteers like Carl to maintain and enhance our public lands.”

The National Wildlife Refuge Association’s 2025 awards also honored Rappahannock Wildlife Refuge Friends in Virginia as the refuge friends group of the year; Andrew Gude as refuge manager of the year for his work at the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys national wildlife refuges in Florida; and Dartha Campbell, with the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, as refuge employee of the year.

Includes reporting by Michael Doyle of Greenwire.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Orleans County Legislator Fred Miller, right, presents a proclamation to child support specialists, Alex DeSmit and Kaitlin Zwifka, during last week’s County Legislature meeting. The Legislature recognized August as “Child Support Awareness Month.”

The proclamation states:

“Whereas, Orleans County is committed to ensuring the safety, health and well-being of our children, our greatest hope and promise for the future; and

“Whereas, parents have the most critical role in the development of their children, and an obligation to provide safe, loving and secure environments in which their children can grow and flourish; and

“Whereas, parents have an obligation to support their children, financially and emotionally; and

“Whereas, studies have shown that when both parents provide financial and emotional support, children are less likely to engage in unhealthy and unproductive behaviors and are more likely to do well in school and succeed later in life; and

“Whereas, the Child Support Enforcement Program and child support professionals in Orleans County play a vital role in assisting parents in achieving and maintaining economic security for their children.”

Press Release, NYS Department of Transportation

ELBA – The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that on Wednesday, July 30, the intersection of State Route 98 and Lockport Road in the Town of Elba, Genesee County, will be converted from a two-way-stop into a four-way-stop, with new signs installed on Route 98.

Work will be completed by the end of the day. The new signs take effect immediately upon installation and motorists are advised to proceed with caution in the vicinity of the intersection while traffic adjusts to the new pattern.

Motorists should anticipate travel delays during this time and are advised to seek alternate routes if necessary. Construction activities are weather dependent and subject to change based on conditions.

Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.

Provided photo: Flotsam River Circus is shown here in a performance in Oakland, Calif. They will arrive in Medina for a show in the Canal Basin at 7 p.m. on Aug. 6.

MEDINA – Celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal is continuing with the visit of a floating circus in Medina’s Canal Basin.

On Aug. 6 Flotsam River Circus will put on a performance at 7 p.m., according to Jim Hancock, chairman of Medina’s Tourism Committee.

“This is unique and a fun event for children and adults,” Hancock said. “I hope many people will bring their lawn chairs and come out to see them.”

Flotsam River Circus is the brain child of Jason Webley of Seattle, formerly a traveling musician, who formed the floating circus with friends in 2019.

“When I heard about this being the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal, I reached out to the Canal Corporation and they were interested in having us perform,” Webley said in a recent phone call from his home.

The concept was inspired by the American showboat tradition and modern floating art projects, according to information from Webley, an accordion troubadour who captains the floating raft. The show includes musicians, puppeteers and circus artists on a ramshackle raft.

Flotsam is a troupe of musicians, circus performers and puppeteers who travel on a ramshackle raft, giving free performances in waterfront towns. Once their boat is together, they keep it in the water for the duration of the tour. They travel with a crew of nine and a converted school bus as their land vehicle, Webley said.

“Our goal is to bring some magic and whimsy to the world, while helping communities engage with their waterways,” Webley said.

He also stressed they are a 501©3 non-profit and exist with support from donations through Venmo or by logging on to www.rivercircus.

Courtesy of Orleans County Department of Planning and Development: This map shows the acreage in green that are in the county-wide ag district. The red areas are land to be included in the ag district.

ALBION – The Orleans County Agricultural District is set to expand by 445 acres. The county is doing the annual review for the district and nine landowners requested to be included.

The additions include:

• 91.2 acres on North Gravel Road in Ridgeway
• 36.2 acres on Townline Road in Ridgeway
• 8.3 acres on East Lee Road in Clarendon
• 35 acres on Root Road in Barre
• 90.8 acres on Roosevelt Highway in Carlton
• 59.5 acres on Center Road in Kendall
• 113.3 acres on Lakeland Beach Road South in Kendall
• 1.6 acres on Lakeland Beach Road South in Kendall
• 8.9 acres on Gaines Basin Road in Albion.

The additions were recommended by the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board and approved by the Orleans County Legislature last week. They go to state for a final certification.

The district is currently at 120,150 acres or 48 percent of the county’s land mass.

Corey Winters, the county’s director of planning and development, presented the additions to the Legislature last week.

Being in the ag district gives farmers some extra protections from nuisance suits where they are doing normal agricultural practices.

Undeveloped land that is in the district is not allowed to hook into waterlines for non-agricultural use because of the potential adverse effects on agriculture, Winters has said. Existing homes, residences, and farms within an agricultural district are not prohibited from connecting to new water lines.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The sun sets on Lake Ontario on Sunday at Hamlin Beach State Park.

 Orleans County is facing two 90-degree days, today and Tuesday, before the temperature dips to more comfortable levels.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo said it will be sunny with a high of 91 today followed by sunny and a high of 90 on Tuesday.

Then the highs are forecast to be 84 on Wednesday, 77 on Thursday, 78 on Friday and 80 on Saturday.

$139,852 more than doubles last year’s record of $64,128

Photos by Tom Rivers: Lane Miller, 9, of Lyndonville has the grand champion steer in the ring during Saturday’s Market Auction. Lane raised the 1,465-pound beef animal, one of 12 beef cattle in the auction, up from four last year. Todd Jantzi, auctioneer with Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service in Batavia, gets the bids going up for Lane’s steer. Western New York Energy paid $7 per pound, well above the market price. Jantzi is owner and president of Bontrager and serves as auctioneer at four market auctions at county fairs.

KNOWLESVILLE – Saturday’s Market Auction to cap the Orleans County 4-H Fair was a record-breaker.

4-Hers sold animals, fiber and even cookies that brought in $139,852. That obliterated the previous record high set last year at $64,128. The auction typically was bringing in $20,000 to $28,000 until the recent jump.

There were many more 4-Hers they entered animals and their fiber creations for the auction, and those kids brought more energy and bidders to the event, committee members said.

The big crowd of budders was a relief to the 4-Hers and their parents. Some of the them were worried that so many more animals in the auction could lead to smaller prices. But the 4-Hers were able to recruit more bidders, and many of the mainstays in recent years were back with open wallets.

Carissa Klossner of Holley made this shawl out of 100 percent alpaca yarn. Matt Hughson of the Redtail Cattle Company paid $260 for it. The fiber products where introduced to the auction for the first time last year.

“I 100 percent support 4-H,” Hughson said. “Every 4-Her is important and they all deserve it.”

Zack Welker, one of the callers, maintained high energy during the 2 ½-hour auction. Here he signals the bids are going up for a pig by Jacob Forte, 18, of Hamlin. There were 27 pigs in the auction, up from 19 last year.

Hugh Gabalski, 18, of Byron leads the grand champion lamb in the ring. It was bought by Joe Sidonio for $570. Hugh said he was happy to see the high bids for the animals at the auction. He said in some years, especially the online auction during Covid in 2020, he lost money or barely broke even.

“In 2020, the prices were dirt cheap,” Gabalski said.

Hugh said he has used the profits to buy and raise other animals over the years, and has been able to save some of the money for college.

Natalie Miller, 11, of Lyndonville keeps her 1,300-pound steer steady in the show ring.

It was purchased by Jed Torrey of Torrey at $6.75 a pound. Torrey said Natalie visited Torrey Farms in Elba, asking Torrey’s to consider bidding on her steer. Torrey said the personal visit made a big difference.

“It’s good to support the kids because they really do work hard,” Torrey said.

Travis Walton, owner of Walton Manure Management based in Linwood, holds up his number after being the winning bidder, paying $13 per pound for a pig raised by Natalie Miller.

Walton does manure work for Chaffee Farms, where Natalie’s dad is a partner. Natalie met Walton at the farm and asked him to come to the market auction.

Walton was a 4-Her as a kid in Genesee County. Saturday was his first time at the Orleans County 4-H Fair.

He said Natalie’s personal request to attend the fair made the difference in him going and spending over $3,000 for her pig.

“She reached out,” he said. “It’s hard to say no to a young kid.”

There were eight lots of rabbits up for bid, plus four lots of turkeys, and five lots of chickens.

Dana Watson of Watson Enterprises smiles after paying over $6,000 for a pig raised by Lane Miller, 9, of Lyndonville. Watson paid $24.50 per pound for the pig, the biggest bid of the night among the pigs in the auction.

Watson Enterprises has built buildings for Chaffee Farms in Barker, where Lane’s dad Corey Miller is a co-owner.

Ruth Kuipers, 15, of Byron has her pig in the arena while Andy Beach and Zack Welker call out the bids. The Market Auction culminates several months of work with the animals by 4-Hers.

Madeleine Farrell of Holley holds a sign for a pen of two chickens that were auctioned off for $250. Auctioneer Todd Jantzi is in back with Janie (Schutz) Ledbetter, left, and Nicole Mrzywka. Andy Beach, in front, served as one of the ring men to track bids from the crowd.

Jantzi said the hard work by kids over many months paid off. They need to do a good job raising the animals and making their products for the auction. But they also need salesmanship – as well as showmanship.

“It’s how the kids get out and knock on doors,” Jantzi said. “That’s what makes the difference.”

Susan Hanson, right, paid $150 for a loom knit hat made by 4-Her Ginny Schofield.

Lena Grillo, 13, of Albion had a blue-ribbon lamb that was the top seller in the auction, getting over $8 per pound.

Kate Bennett of Brockport had two pigs in the auction and both were purchased by her grandfather, Tony Piedimonte of Piedimonte Farms in Holley. The ring men eyeing the crowd for bids include Chris Flansburg in front, and Zack Welker and Andy Beach in back.

Isabel Nesbitt, 12, of Lyndonville leads her beef animal into the barn for the market auction.

Megan Hartway made a successful bid at $3.75 per pound for a 1,120-pound beef steer raised by Isabel Nesbitt of Lyndonville. Hartway bid for her husband Nate, who is a crop consultant with Nutrien Ag Solutions in Fancher.

Mrs. Hartway said her kids weighed in on which animal to buy at the auction. They liked Isabel’s steer, a white animal she named Marvin.

“We want to support 4-H, and our kids thought it was just the prettiest white cow,” Mrs. Hartway said.

Helen Schofield of Holley holds up a wreath she made with a festive fall theme. The wreath sold for $110 at the auction.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Elijah “The Bull” Starr pushes an 800-pound haybale through a course on Saturday night at the Orleans County 4-H Fair. He won the title despite not having a partner to help with the challenge. Jeremy Neal, the event chairman and judge, is in back.

KNOWLESVILLE – In the four years of the haybale rolling challenge at the Orleans County 4-H Fair, Elijah “The Bull” Starr has emerged as the crowd favorite.

The competition invites two-person teams to roll a haybale and push it end over end through an obstacle course. Starr, 35, has been one of the fastest at the event, despite not having a partner.

On Saturday, he won the competition – all by himself. Starr set a new personal record by completing the task in 1 minute, 6 seconds. The judge and event chairman, Jeremy Neal, assesses 5-second penalties if cones are knocked over and if teams go off course. Starr has one five-second penalty giving him a final time of 1:11. That bested the fastest teams that all qualified for the finals on Saturday night.

Starr runs a beef farm in Lyndonville. He is used to mowing heavy bales.

“This is how I feed my cows,” he said.

The competitors in the event also have to throw smaller 50-pound bales over a 6-foot-high beam at the beginning and end of the competition.

Starr also works at Tractor Supply. He said he has a growing reputation for his skills in the haybale rolling competition. The Orleans County 4-H Fair added the haybale rolling in 2021 after the grease pole was discontinued over objections from the fair’s insurance provider.

Fair officials acknowledge the haybale rolling doesn’t draw the huge crowds like the grease pole, but it does provide a fun way to cap off the day’s events at the fair.

The Phonie E’s – Ian Kingdollar, left, and Immanuel Cornell – compete in haybale rolling on Friday night at the fair. Both are 4-H members. They finished second out of seven and didn’t advance to the finals. They tried again at preliminaries on Saturday.

The team of “Kaitlin Squared” – Kaitlynn Basinait and Kaitlin Bennett – made a valiant effort to get the haybale around the course, and then toss the smaller bales over a beam. They got the big bale to the finish line on Friday night.

Team Frog came in first on Friday and advanced to the finals on Saturday. Seth McCracken and Nathanael Hemmerick finished in 1:24 – 1:09 with 15 seconds of violations.

The Double B’s – Becky and Brandon – won the preliminaries on Saturday to advance to the finals where they finished in 1:35, 1:30 plus a 5-second penalty. This team includes Elijah Starr’s brother, Brandon Skellon.

By Craig Lacy, member of Medina Historical Society

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 5, No. 27

Carl Fischer starred as a left-handed pitcher in a professional career for two decades.

“Fischer Fans the Great Bambino.” So read the headlines of The Daily Journal on May 30th, 1931. The day before, 26-year-old Medina native Charlie “Carl” Fischer, relief pitching for the Washington Senators in the bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, retired three New York Yankees in order, including striking out Babe Ruth and forcing a pop up by Lou Gehrig to save the 3-2 win for the Senators.  A 10-minute standing ovation followed by the Washington fans.

Back when baseball was still more of the national pastime and young boys followed their favorite teams and players while dreaming of making it in the Big League, one Medina boy succeeded.

Charlie began his baseball career playing for Medina High School and left school the spring of his senior year in 1925, forgoing his diploma for a chance to play major league baseball.  He signed with the Rochester Red Wings and was sent to Scranton, Pa. to play in the New York-Penn League helping his team to win the pennant in 1926. It was there that his manager Jack Eagon gave Charlie his nickname of  “Carl” for reason now lost to time but for whatever reason it stuck with him for the rest of his life. He would go on to play organized baseball for over 20 years.

Carl’s major league career spanned seven years from 1930-1937 where he racked up a record of 46 wins, 50 losses with 376 strikeouts in 822 innings while playing in 191 games for the Washington Senators, 1930-’32 and part of the 1937 season; St. Louis, 1932; Detroit Tigers, 1933-’35; Chicago White Sox, 1935-’36; and the Cleveland Indians, part of the 1937 season.

Getting to the big leagues is often a slow, grinding process of making your way through the farm clubs and for Carl it was no different. From Scranton, Carl spent the next three years with the Newark Bears, part of the Eastern Shore League entering spring training in Pensacola, Florida in 1927, as a 5’ 11’, 160 lb. strapping 21-year-old “Southpaw.”

He had speed, curves, hooks and wildness, plenty of wildness. In 1930, after spending time also in the PONY and International Leagues, he was called up to the Washington Senators, thus beginning his career in the majors.

It was in 1931, while with Washington, that Carl gained fame retiring both Ruth and Gehrig in the bottom of ninth with bases loaded to save the 3-2 win with Manager Walter Johnson telling the young pitcher as he took the mound, “Show ’em your real stuff, Charley.” The 1932 season saw Carl pitching for the St. Louis Americans and then on to Detroit in ’33.  While with Detroit in ’34 he pitched in the game that won them the pennant for the first time in 25 years and earned his share of World Series money.

His next brush with fame came on July 20, 1935, while pitching for the Chicago White Sox.  Carl held the Washington Senators hitless for 8 innings when the lead batter in the ninth belting a short hit over second base for a single. He then retired the next three batters in order.

He started the 1936 season with Kansas City but in June was sent down to play with the Buffalo Bisons. It was during his time in Buffalo that he was honored as the International League Pitcher of the Year

Like his major league career, Carl’s minor league time was spent with many farm teams across the country.  In his first full year in the International League playing with Baltimore and Toronto, Carl led the league with 196 strikeouts, winning 18 games. 1939-‘41, found Carl pitching for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He would go on to spend 5 years after the war with the Pacific Coast League pitching for Portland and Seattle while also spending time in Kansas City, St. Louis and Buffalo. While with Portland, Carl set a league record with four playoff victories.

This plaque in honor of Carl Fischer at Medina’s Veterans Memorial Park.

At an Elk’s benefit held in Medina honoring Carl in 1936, WGR radio announcer Roger Baker, during his speech recounting the 1936 Bison’s season stated, “I have broadcast many exciting games during my six years of experience as a radio announcer, but never, even in World’s Series games have I seen so many thrills rolled into one season of pitching as those furnished by Carl Fischer.”

While pitching for the Bisons in 1937, Buffalo Times sportswriter Francis Dunn wrote that “(He) has a fast ball that mows down batters and wears out catchers.”

1937 would be Carl’s last year in the major leagues splitting the season for both Washington and Cleveland.

Carl married the former Grace Reynolds from Middleport in 1929 and they made their home at 137 State Street in Medina. Upon retiring from baseball, Carl operated Fischer’s Newsroom in Albion until his death in 1963. While in Albion, baseball was never too far from his mind with displays of memorabilia decorating his business and always a willingness to offer advice and guidance to young ball players while being the founder and president of the Central Orleans Little League for over a decade where he supplied the Carl Fischer trophy to the pennant winner each season.

In September 1964, a year after Carl’s death of a heart attack, a bronze plaque was erected behind home plate at Medina’s Veterans Memorial Park to honor the legacy of Charles “Carl” Fischer.  On the plaque are memorialized Carl’s two big league achievements, his retiring of both Ruth and Gehrig and his one-hitter. Funds for the memorial were donated by baseball fans from Medina, Lyndonville and Albion. A fitting tribute to a local boy who made good.

Note from Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper: We welcome Craig Lacy as a guest columnist this week. An active member of the Medina Historical Society, Craig was inspired to write this article by the display of Fischer items at the Museum. The Museum is open to the public on the first Saturday of the summer months or by appointment, contact https://historicmedina.org/contact-us/.  This article is published courtesy of the Medina Historical  Society.

Photo by Natalie Baron: Royalty this year  at the Orleans County 4-H Fair are front row, left to right: Tommy Dresser, 10, Medina (Fair Prince Alternate); Caleb Fisher, 11, Albion (Fair Prince); and Sadie Pask, 11, Albion (Fair Princess). Back row: Immanuel Cornell, 15, Holley (Fair Duke Alternate); Jackson Fraiser, 12, Kent (Fair Duke); Sophia Albone, 14, Medina (Fair Duchess Alternate); Alyssa Murray, 15, Albion (Fair Duchess); Gary Donofrio, 16, Bergen (Fair King); Bailey Gonzalez, 17, Albion (Fair Queen Alternate); and Makenzie McGrath, 17, Medina (Fair Queen). Not pictured is Bailey Elliott, 11, Albion (Fair Princess Alternate). There is no King Alternate.

By Natalie Baron, Orleans Hub intern

KNOWLESVILLE—The royalty of the Orleans County Fair were crowned Saturday evening, concluding the Fair Awards ceremony.

Makenzie McGrath, 17, was named Fair Queen. She is grateful for a decade of experiences and learning in the 4-H program.

“I enjoyed it a lot!” she exclaimed. “I showed goats this year. I only did it a few times. It was fun! I participated in the Trolley Building and all sorts of activities.”

She expressed about being crowned Queen, “It was really surprising and exciting and I’m really grateful.”

Gary Donofrio, 16, Bergen was chosen as Fair King. He also won the grand master showman competition on Friday evening.

There are many reasons to become involved with the 4-H program. “4-H offers kids a variety of hands-on learning opportunities,” said Peggy Gabalski, one of the organizers for the event. “All the skills you’re learning, you’re gonna also be practicing and be able to apply. It also gives 4-Hers a variety of different ages to work with, peers who are the same age and peers who are younger. You learn working with adults and learning responsibility with a variety of tasks.”

“I think 4-H is still strong as a community youth organization,” said organizer Kayla Dengler, “and I think here in Orleans County, we continue to grow strong youth leaders and animal caretakers.”

The award announcers were the crowned king and queen from last year. They shared their journeys of how they became heavily involved in the county fair.

“I grew up doing horses,” explained Lea Donofrio of Bergen. “We got a bigger farm, expanded a bit. Now, I show swine. It was sort of a domino effect to do fair. We had a bunch of family friends who did it.”

Luke Gregoire shared, “I’m technically tied for youngest in my family. My siblings did 4-H. It was a natural process with animals. I started showing guinea pigs, maybe rabbits, then chickens.”