Faces Dirk Lammes in general election on Nov. 3

Jim DeFilipps

MURRAY – Jim DeFilipps, an Orleans County deputy sheriff, is running to be Murray highway superintendent and has two lines in the Nov. 3 election.

DeFilipps, who was named deputy of the year in New York State in 2015, is seeking the highway post under the Independence Party and the independent “Jimmy D for Highway” party.

He faces Dirk Lammes Jr. in the Nov. 3 general election. Lammes has been endorsed by the Republican and Conservative parties.

The highway department is currently led by interim superintendent Louise Passarell. She has been handling the administrative duties for the department following the retirement of Ed Morgan on May 31, who served as highway superintendent for 30 years. Dennis Mandigo, the senior highway employee, is in charge of water.

DeFilipps, 43, will reach 20 years in law enforcement in December and could retire. This evening he said he welcomes the chance to stay active in Murray in a second career.

If elected he said he would get a CDL license to drive the highway equipment and also earn the license to oversee the water system. He currently has a CDL permit.

DeFilipps was working the night shift on March 21, 2015 when he was shot twice at about 3 a.m. following a high-speed chase with James Ellis of Wyoming County. DeFilipps was the first police officer on scene when Ellis wrecked his vehicle in Clarendon on Route 31A. Police were pursuing Ellis after a 911 call when he threatened an ex-girlfriend in Shelby with a gun.

After the crash in Clarendon, Ellis fled to a nearby wooded area and opened fire on DeFilipps and other deputies and police to arrive on the scene. DeFilipps, despite getting hit twice by gunfire, shot Ellis, killing him and ending the threat.

DeFilipps, after recovering from his injuries, returned to work full-time. He has managed the Orleans County Marine Patrol. He also has been a fire commissioner with the Holley Joint Fire District and is currently a village trustee in Holley.

He said he has experience in organization and administration, and can keep public funds within a budget.

Lammes currently owns Lammes Construction and works with municipalities with waterline repairs. His company also does snowplowing in the winters.

Lammes, 52, has been doing emergency waterline repairs for municipalities since 2001, mainly in the Town of Irondequoit. He also has a contract in the Town of Henrietta.

Besides the Murray highway superintendent, the other local positions in the general election include:

• County Clerk: Nadine Hanlon (Republican) vs. Diane Shampine (Conservative), 4-year term

• District Attorney: Joe Cardone (R), unopposed for 4-year term

• Coroner (3): Scott Schmidt (R), Charles Smith (R) and Rocco Sidari (R, C), all unopposed for 4-year terms

• Murray Town Justice: Theodore R. Spada, Jr. (R), unopposed for 4-year term

• Murray Town Councilman: Randy Bower (R), unopposed for 3-year term

• Shelby Town Supervisor: Jeff Smith (R), unopposed to fill vacancy, 1-year

• Shelby Town Councilman: Ryan Wilkins (R), unopposed to fill term for 3 years

MEDINA — A committee looking at policies of the Medina Police Department will take comments from the public during a meeting on Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Medina Theater, 603 Main St.

The Medina Committee on Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative was formed last month to review the operations of the Medina PD and determine if reform is needed.

The 12 members of the committee include Daniel Doctor, Pastor Jovannie Canales, Mayor Michael Sidari, Jacquie Chinn, Lt. Todd Draper, Scott Robinson of the Medina Area Partnership and owner of the Shirt Factory Cafe, Sherry Tuohey, Chief Chad Kenward, David and Cynthia King, District Attorney Joe Cardone and Public Defender Joanne Best

Robinson will provide an overview of the committee and its plans during the meeting on Wednesday.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is requiring all 500 municipalities in the state that have law enforcement agencies to form committees with local elected officials, the police leaders and citizens and study the operations of the departments and determine if reform is needed.

The municipalities must adopt a plan by April 1, 2021 to be eligible for state funding for any part of the municipalities’ budgets. The plans could show that no changes are needed in a police department.

“With more than 500 law enforcement agencies in our large and diverse state, there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution,” Cuomo said in August. “To rebuild the police-community relationship, each local government must convene stakeholders for a fact-based and honest dialogue about the public safety needs of their community. Each community must envision for itself the appropriate role of the police. Policies must be developed to allow the police to do their jobs to protect the public and these policies must meet with the local communities’ acceptance.”

2 counties pass 600 cases combined since March

Orleans County is reporting 2 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 today, bringing the county’s total to 307 since March.

The two new cases are a resident of Yates and the other a resident of Carlton. One is in the 30s and the other in the 50s, according to the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. Neither of the individuals were on quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans also has three more recoveries from Covid-19, bringing that total in the community to 142 people who have recovered and been released from mandatory isolation.

The county also has nine more individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Genesee County has been notified of 5 new positive cases of Covid-19, for a total of 296 now since March.  The two counties – Genesee and Orleans – have now had 603 cases of Covid-19.

The new positive cases in Genesee reside in Alexander, Batavia, Byron and Oakfield. One of the new positive cases is a resident at the NYS Veterans Home. (That is the first confirmed case from that nursing home in Batavia.)

Among the five cases, one of the positive individuals is less than 20 years old, one in the 30s, two in the 50s and one in the 80s. One of the individuals was on quarantine prior to testing positive.

Genesee also has one more recovery and now has had 231 recoveries from community members. Genesee also has 22 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

• State-wide data: There were 58,319 test results reported to the state yesterday, and 573 or 0.98 percent were positive.

Today’s data is summarized briefly below:

• Patient Hospitalization – 468 (+0)
• Number ICU – 134 (+2)
• Number ICU with Intubation – 66 (+6)
• Deaths – 1 (Total Deaths – 25,428)

Proposals would help vets become entrepreneurs, connect to services

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia), at podium, joined veterans and his Assembly Republican colleagues on Sept. 18 in Syracuse. This group also served in the military and is proposing legislation to help veterans.

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) joined his Assembly Republican Colleagues in Syracuse last week to call for action on a number of legislative items focused on veterans to help support the lives of these men and women and their families.

A veteran himself who served in the Ohio Army National Guard, Hawley proudly serves on the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs, but points to the lack of veteran representation on the committee as a hindrance to passing meaningful legislation.

In the past two years, Hawley helped achieve a number of items for veterans:

• Expanded scholarships for Gold Star families (A.2991, Higher Education, 4.9.2019; Executive Order 4.19.2019);
• Approval of tax exemptions to help injured or disabled veterans to refit their homes to increase mobility (A.7289);
• Authorization of a study on homeless veterans to better provide support (A.5660); and
• Required the state to closely examine veteran health issues, including PTSD and traumatic brain injuries (A.1804).

“I am proud of my record on veterans’ issues and am so honored to work on behalf of our military men and women and their families,” Hawley said. “Despite intransigence from the majority in the Assembly, we still achieved important measures, like the expansion of scholarships for Gold Star families, approval of a study on veteran homelessness and more. We have much more to work on, but I look forward to a day when there are more veterans serving alongside me in the Assembly. The leadership and character instilled in our service men and women would be a welcome addition to our chambers.”

Hawley continues to fight for:

• A veterans clearinghouse to better connect veterans to needed services (A.4395);
• The “Veteran Owned Business Enterprise Act” to help veteran entrepreneurs (A.4490);
• Honoring military experience as civil work experience by increasing civil (A.5535) and education credits (A.7999); and
• Veterans’ health by tracking a list of toxins military personnel are exposed to (A.6421) and requiring coroners to report suicides of veterans and active military personnel (A.38934).

Hawley served seven years in the Ohio Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserves, earning the rank of first lieutenant. In the Assembly Republican conference, 30 percent of the members are veterans, and Hawley would like to increase this number.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced an Executive Order extending the state’s moratorium on Covid-related commercial evictions and foreclosures an additional month, until October 20th.

This measure extends protections already in place for commercial tenants and mortgagors in recognition of the financial toll the pandemic has taken on business owners, including retail establishments and restaurants.

The extension of this protection gives commercial tenants and mortgagors additional time to get back on their feet and catch up on rent or their mortgage, or to renegotiate their lease terms to avoid foreclosure moving forward.

“The pandemic remains far from over, and we need to continue protecting the business owners supporting their families amid restrictions necessary to protect the public health,” Governor Cuomo said. “That’s why it’s the right decision to extend the eviction ban for commercial tenants another 30 days.”

Governor Cuomo first announced a State moratorium on residential and commercial evictions on March 20 to ensure no tenant was evicted during the height of the public health emergency. The commercial eviction and foreclosure moratorium was extended through August 20 and later through September 20 by Executive Order.

The Governor also signed the Tenant Safe Harbor Act on June 30 which became effective immediately and additional legislation to provide financial assistance to residential renters and homeowners which has extended the moratorium for those tenants until the emergency has expired. Governor Cuomo also has provided additional protections for residential renters from charges for late payment of rent, and allowed tenants to use security deposits to pay rent for residential tenants by Executive Order.

Provided photo: Jerod Thurber congratulates his wife Bliss Thurber after she was honored last week as Lyndonville’s Educator of the Year for 2019-20. She was announced last June as the district’s top educator but the recognition was delayed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Mr. Thurber in July joined the Lyndonville Board of Education.

LYNDONVILLE – The school district last week gave overdue recognition to the Educator of the Year from 2019-20, and also recognized retiring staff.

The district normally recognizes the top educator and retirees during a Board of Education meeting in June. But the district was meeting remotely back then. It has returned to in-person meetings.

Bliss Thurber, a sixth grade teacher, was honored as Educator of the Year. District officials said she is “creative, talented, dedicated and committed, all while having high expectations for her students.”

She also has been a leader in the district in utilizing technology to connect with students. Thurber also serves as co-leader of the AVID program for grades kindergarten through 6.

She received a plaque and a $1,000 district grant to be used for an educational initiative or project.

RETIREES – The district also recognized four staff members are retiring: Diane Thurber, clerical; Nikki Robison, teacher aid; Kathy Payne, a long-time bus driver; and Dave Balcer, director of Buildings and Grounds.

Balcer was known for his customer service approach to all members of our community, as well as the great pride he had for the school buildings and grounds, said Jason Smith, the district superintendent.

Robison was known for her innate problem solving ability, behind the scenes dedication, and her ability to connect with all students to instill positive and productive relationship.

Thurber held several positions in the district before her clerical assignment. She was known for her quick and out-of-the-box thinking, commitment to students, and overall wonderful efficiency, Smith said.

Payne was dedicated to students for many years as a bus driver.

Superintendent disputes that, saying BOCES adhering to CDC, state guidelines

MEDINA – The Orleans-Niagara BOCES Teachers’ Association has filed a complaint with the state, claiming their workplaces don’t meet state Covid-19 protocols for facial coverings, social distancing and cleaning of schools.

The union filed a Public Employee Health and Safety complaint with the New York State Commissioner of Labor.

The BOCES Teachers’ Association cast a vote of “no confidence” in Dr. Clark Godshall, BOCES superintendent, on Wednesday, according to a report from WGRZ in Buffalo.

Godshall and BOCES issued a news release, saying they are following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the New York  State Education Department, the New York State and local health departments, and medical advisors for Covid-19 protocols.

BOCES has hired more nursing and custodial staff to meet increased site needs. Site supervisors and school nurses work closely with local school districts, parents and agencies to resolve emerging issues, Godshall said.

“Union input was received and impact bargaining was conducted,” he said. “The BOCES has responded reasonably to bargaining demands from the teachers’ union. NYSUT has targeted the O/N BOCES with inaccurate claims and we look forward to the regulatory agencies confirming that we are in full compliance with safety procedures.”

The O-N BOCES has all of the necessary personal protective equipment, expending an additional $330,000 to ensure that all of the BOCES sites are adequately supplied, Godshall said.

BOCES also has reconfigured instructional class space to adhere to social distance and facial mask requirements.

“Remote, virtual and on-site instruction are provided in support of our 13 sending school districts to meet the needs of our students,” Godshall said.

The O-N BOCES will continue to carefully monitor and implement safety guidelines at our sites, the group stated in a news release.

“We recognize the ongoing pandemic is stressful for all involved,” according to the statement. “We will continue to work diligently to implement and enforce our safety plans that make the physical, academic, social, and emotional well-being of all students, staff and families our top priorities.”

Provided photo: Pictured from left include Chad Kenward, Medina police chief; Marc Graff, assistant superintendent for Medina Central School; Melisa and Jovannie Canales, Pastor of Segunda Iglesia Fieles Discipulos de Jesucristo Medina; and Daniel Doctor, community outreach liaison for Medina Central School.

MEDINA – A church in Medina, Segunda Iglesia Fieles Discípulos de Jesucristo, normally throws a big party before the start of the school year, distributing back-to-school supplies. Medina police officers and firefighters stop by for the event, which was at Butts Park last year.

The Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions on public gatherings forced the church to cancel the event this year.

But the church leaders decided they still wanted to donate back-to-school supplies. Segunda Iglesia partnered with the Medina Police Department to donate backpacks, school supplies and helmets to the school district.

“We thank God for this opportunity and also give special thanks to the Medina Police Department and Chief of Police for their generosity and for collaborating with us on this,” said Jovannie Canales, the church’s senior pastor.

Photos by Tom Rivers: The leaves are starting to change color, including on the Courthouse Square. This photo on Friday was taken on the Square facing the Christ Episcopal Church on Main Street. Tuesday is the first day of autumn.

The weather most of this week shows lots of sunshine and highs in the 70s in Orleans County.

Today is forecast to be sunny with a high of 65, followed by a high of 69 and sunny on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, it will reach 73 and be sunny, followed by a partly sunny Thursday with a high near 73, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

Friday is forecast to be mostly sunny with a high near 75, followed by a mostly sunny Saturday with a high near 77.

This photo on Friday evening from the Courthouse Square shows the U.S. Post Office in Albion and the former Swan Library at far right.

Market shifts to winter season after October

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Medina’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market manager Gail Miller, right, and her husband Dave put up a tent for a vendor early on Saturday morning. The market will continue at the corner of West Avenue and West Center Street through the end of October.

MEDINA – Medina’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market has had a difficult summer, with the Covid pandemic and the restrictions in place.

The market has coped, however, and plans to continue its regular operation from 9 to 2 p.m. Saturdays until the end of October, said market manager Gail Miller.

“We still want to get the word out we will be here with all our vendors until the end of October, and then the winter market season will begin,” she said.

Regular vendors include Roberts Farm Market of Medina with a variety of fruits and vegetables, Hannah Pollard of Medina with home-baked goods, Human Farms of Appleton with fruits and vegetables and Baker Farms of Medina with meat.

Each week shoppers can expect to find various other tables selling their goods or, in the case of non-profits, providing information on the services they provide. The market welcomes non-profits to set up free of charge.

Last week found Heather Smith, director of Orleans Community Health Foundation, and several representatives from United Way of Orleans County promoting their agencies. United Way was selling tickets to its first-ever chicken barbecue, which is scheduled Oct. 9 at the 4-H Fairgrounds. The barbecue will be drive-thru and will include announcement of United Way’s 2021 campaign.

John Klingler was doing business at his booth for Black Button Distilling in Rochester. He was selling the company’s bourbon, gin and moonshine. Klingler shared his company’s policy is to use local sources wherever they can. All their grain comes from Edgewood Farms in Groveland. He is scheduled to be back at the market on Oct. 31.

Dean Bellack, director of United Way of Orleans County, had chicken barbecue tickets for sale at Saturday’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market in Medina. The market allows non-profits to set up a table free of charge.

As the season changes, so will the produce offered at the market, Miller said. Baker Farms offers beef and pork all year, as well as garlic, eggs and goats’ milk soap. The winter market will feature winter squash, cabbage and potatoes, as well as wreaths and holiday decorations.

This is the sixth season for the market, which started in 2015, as the result of an idea by Chris Busch, Cindy Robinson and Gail Miller.

“We wanted to keep a market going after the market in the canal basin closed,” Miller said.  “We started talking about it and I ended up as market manager.”

Miller admits it is a big commitment, but one to which she is dedicated. She is at the market every Saturday, usually as early as 7:45 a.m. She provides tables and a tent for any non-profit who doesn’t have one.

Her goal is to expand the market to attract crafters. She would also like to see any small business just starting up come in and promote their new venture.

“This would be a perfect place to get their name out there,” she said.

She added she has a number of great volunteers who help the market run smoothly.

She also reminds the community that the market has a double benefit. Anyone eligible for SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) can get tokens to spend at the market. When they ask for their SNAP tokens, they are eligible for double coupons, up to $20 to spend at the market.

It’s a day players and coaches have been waiting for a long time. Now nearly a month after the original starting date of August 24 preseason practice for the “low risk” high school fall sports of boys and girls soccer, field hockey, cross-country and golf will begin on Monday.

The fall season’s “high risk” sports of football, volleyball and competitive cheerleading have been postponed until March.

The Niagara-Orleans League fall season will tee off with golf on September 28. Medina is the defending links champ as the Mustangs went 12-0 last fall.

N-O League and Genesee Region League boys soccer will get underway on October 5. Medina/Lyndonville is the defending N-O champion having gone 9-1 last fall.

Tuesday October 6 will be a busy starting date as N-O and G-R girls soccer, N-O field hockey and N-O cross-country will all get underway. The defending N-O champions are Akron in girls soccer, Newfane in boys and girls cross-country and Barker in field hockey. Kendall is the defining G-R Division 2 champ.

This fall, because of the late starting date, N-O and G-R teams are playing schedules comprised of only league games.

The regular season for boys and girls soccer and field hockey is scheduled to conclude between November 5-7 which some sectional competition excepted to follow.

N-O golf will conclude with the All-League Tournament on October 17 and cross-country will wind up with the All-League meet on October 31.

Press Release, Apex Clean Energy/Heritage Wind

BARRE – After an extensive review of the project’s public benefits and impacts, New York’s largest environmental advocacy organization has announced its support for Apex Clean Energy’s Heritage Wind project.

The Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, representing 46,000 members in NY state, gave the 184.8-megawatt wind farm proposed for the Town of Barre its stamp of approval after an evaluation by the Chapter’s local committee covering Orleans County.

The evaluation looked at several aspects of the project including any impacts on wetlands, forested areas, birds, and wildlife as well as community benefits and the project’s effect on agriculture and food production. Heritage Wind scored 14 out of 16 possible points in the evaluation, earning the project a strong endorsement from the group.

“The Sierra Club supports clean renewable energy,” said Ellen Cardone Banks, Conservation Chair for the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. “We must phase out all burning of fossil fuels to hold off the worst effects of the climate crisis and to avoid further damage to our air and water. Burning coal, gas and oil to generate electricity degrades our soil and waterways, harms wildlife, including damage to habitats, and increases the suffering and costs of respiratory illness, besides fueling climate change.”

Heritage Wind submitted its Article 10 permit application earlier this year. If approved, the project would be expected to enter construction in 2022 and be operational by the end of 2023.

“We expect high standards of environmental protection and community benefits from renewable energy projects, and we examine concerns through the lens of scientific evidence rather than scare tactics and unsubstantiated rumors,” Banks said. “Before endorsing any specific utility-scale wind or solar project, we review all available evidence of wildlife protection, impacts on forests and food production, and provisions for community engagement, benefits, and available information on labor standards that provide family-supporting jobs. Applying these criteria to Heritage Wind, the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter endorses the project plan and will be continuing to monitor the project on these standards as it goes forward.”

Darlene and Mike Rich battle lingering effects from virus

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Shelby Town Clerk Darlene Rich and her husband Mike stand in their home in Shelby six months after contracting Covid-19. The couple says they still aren’t back to normal.

MEDINA – It has been a little more than six months since Shelby Town Clerk Darlene Rich became Orleans County’s first confirmed case of Covid-19.

Three weeks later, her husband Mike was diagnosed with it.

Now, neither says they are back to normal, and continue to fight fatigue.

The Riches’ ordeal began March 10 when they left the Buffalo Niagara International Airport for a vacation in Florida. Two days later Darlene started coughing.

“That brought on an asthma attack and I started using an inhaler, but it didn’t help much,” Darlene said. “The news on Friday the 13th was all about Covid and its symptoms. Mike went and bought a thermometer and my temperature was 101.5. Then it became hard to breathe and we called the ER. I had a chest X-ray and the doctor said I had pneumonia in my right lung and had the symptoms of Covid, so on Monday he would send my results to the Health Department and I had to quarantine until then.”

The Riches let their motel know they had to stay in their room and they brought them breakfast. Darlene’s temperature the whole weekend was 104.5 and she took Tylenol and Motrin. Then the hospital called and said she tested positive for the virus. The Health Department gave them instructions and told them to stay there for now. For an entire week, Darlene ate very little and just wanted to sleep.

“I was scared. I figured I’d probably end up dying,” Darlene said.

The Riches thought back where they had been the first two days in Florida. They had been on a helicopter ride, and Give the Kids the World in Kissimmee, where they had been several times in the past with their son Mikey. They saw the paving stone they bought their son, who died in March 1997 at the age of 23. The had also taken an airboat ride with many other people. And they wanted to call everybody they had been in contact with to let them know. Several days later they received a gift basket thanking them for their consideration.

By the end of the week they had canceled their flight home and rented a car, and that Friday they started the drive home.

The trip was a nightmare.

First, Darlene was worried sick about Mike driving the entire way as she usually did a lot of the driving. All the stores were closed and the truck stops were barricaded. If one was open, they only had port-a-johns.

Mike had bought a cooler and made egg salad sandwiches. They ate them and apples on the way home.

While still in Florida, they had called the Orleans County Health Department, where they were connected with a nurse who made regular calls to the couple in Florida and continued to support them after they returned home.

They got home on a Sunday and on Monday and Tuesday the Health Department came and tested Darlene. Both tests were still positive.

Mike, in the meantime, was on pins and needles. The arthritis medication he takes compromises his immune system, and he figured if he caught the virus he would probably die.

Almost three weeks later, their worst fears came true when Mike tested positive.

“We both had a loss of appetite big time and awful exhaustion,” Darlene said. “Even now I go to work and come home and sit in the chair and fall asleep for an hour.”

Darlene went back to work the end of May, but was only able to work half days. Mike, who works for General Motors in Rochester, was able to go back the middle of June, but also still has a hard time with the fatigue.

Their doctors can’t assure them they will ever be totally over the effects.

In spite of it all, Darlene said they were both fortunate that they apparently had a light case.

“Nobody really knows anything about it,” she said. “We were lucky.”

Participants urged to cover the distance in their own neighborhoods

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Participants in the 2019 Knights-Kaderli Walk/Run head for the starting line last October. This year’s event will take on a different look, due to the Covid pandemic. For the 32nd annual 5K Walk/Run, participants are being asked to walk in their own neighborhoods and make a donation to the Knights-Kaderli Fund.

MEDINA – For 31 years the community has gathered for a walk/run to support patients living with cancer in Orleans County.

The Knights-Kaderli 5K Walk/Run was started in 1988 by the families of two lifelong Medina residents who both died of cancer – Richard Knights and Sue Kaderli. Since then, the event has raised thousands of dollars to help cancer patients and their families with bills accumulated because of their illness.

This year’s 32nd annual walk/run will take on a new look, due to the Covid pandemic, according to Stacey Pellicano, daughter of Richard Knights and a board member of the Knights-Kaderli Fund.

Participants this year are being asked to walk in their own neighborhoods, which has gone virtual. Registrants are being asked to make a donation to the fund. For every $20 registration, walkers and runners will receive a Knights-Kaderli cloth mask. Participants are asked to register online or from a mask pick-up location.

Masks may be picked up from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 2 in front of Mike Zelazny CPA, 511 Main St., or from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 3 at the East Shelby Fire Hall. There will be a special raffle at each of the pickup locations in memory of Elaine McPherson.

Pellicano asks registrants when picking up masks and purchasing raffle tickets to please remember to wear their mask and maintain social distancing.

“The safety of our supporters is our top priority,” she said.  “Also please remember to photograph your event and tag us on Facebook and Instagram at #KnightsKaderliVirtual5k for some fun prizes.”

She added they were disappointed they couldn’t gather together this year as a large group.

“Even though our event is outside, we have to abide by the non-essential gathering rule of no more than 50 people, which is still in place in New York State,” Pellicano said. “Anyone who has participated in our event understands the energy of that day. It gives us hope and unites participants. This is one of our major fundraisers for the year. We lost the David Millis Golf Tournament in June due to the same restrictions on non-essential gatherings. We know the community will gather behind us this year. Cancer does not stop for a pandemic. Our neighbors need us, especially now as they fight their disease and are sometimes isolated from their own families to protect their health.”

Supporters can run their usual 5K route, run in their own neighborhood or surf Netflix from their couch.

“We’ll never know,” Pellicano said. “We just need your support.”

The Knights-Kaderli Memorial Fund is a tax-exempt organization, which is run by a board of directors. There are no administrative costs. All money raised is used for the benefit of Orleans County cancer patients.

Funds thus far have assisted families with nutritional supplements and prescriptions, as well as medical supplies and bills.

For more information on the fund or for financial assistance, contact Mary Zelazny (Sue Kaderli’s daughter) at (585) 746-8455, Melissa Knights Bertrand (Richard Knights’ daughter) at (716) 983-7932 or Stacey Knights Pellicano at (716) 998-0977.

Online registration can be made by clicking here or direct donations may be made by clicking here.