Announcements

When summer arrives this year, Fresh Air children from New York City will
once again visit volunteer host families in the Batavia area, some for the
first time and some reuniting with long-time host.

Kate Bogan, of Bergen, whose family first hosted through The Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Town program when she was a child, will be an instrumental part of this summer’s success. As a local Fresh Air chairperson, Bogan works hard to recruit hosts so that as many children as possible can enjoy a memorable experience.

The Fresh Air Fund is an independent, not-for-profit agency, which has provided free summer experiences to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877.

Volunteer host families in suburban and small town communities in 13 Northeastern states and Canada open their homes for up to two weeks to Fresh Air children through the Friendly Town program, allowing them to enjoy many first-time experiences, such as swimming or running barefoot through the grass.

Kate was 5 years old when her parents first signed up to be Fresh Air Fund hosts, and her life was changed because of it. When Lauren Grady, who is similar in age to Kate, showed up that first summer, it was clear that each girl had found a new best friend. Their summers were filled with trips to the drive-in movie theatre (a completely new concept to Lauren), Letchworth State Park, local festivals and parades.

Perhaps most memorable were evening cooking lessons with Kate’s grandmother. After Lauren stopped visiting each summer when she became older, the girls lost touch. But thanks to e-mail when they were in college, it became easier to stay connected and they’ve been close again ever since.

This past summer, Kate, along with her husband and son, hosted a Fresh Air child for the first time together, and they look forward to continuing the tradition again this coming summer!

If you are interested in becoming a Fresh Air Fund host in 2011, please call Kate Bogan at 716-560-2847 or 800-367-0003. You can also visit the fund Web site at www.freshair.org to learn more. Open your heart and your home to a Fresh Air child this summer!

Press Release from Genesee Community College, 3/22/2011

For more information contact: Donna Rae Sutherland, 585-343-0055 Ext. 6616

Genesee Community College Brings Home a Rube Goldberg Victory

March Madness might have had a lot of local sports fans wearing orange, but when Genesee Community College traveled to Syracuse to this past weekend they ended up coming home with a win - for their Rube Goldberg Machine.

The concept behind Rube Goldberg Machines is simple. Using household items, a team of at least four students must construct a mechanism that can accomplish a simple task in the most complex way possible.

Using things like pool balls, a baseball bat and glove, DVD covers, a plinko board, a fishing reel, a Barbie doll on a zip line, a computer printer, dozens of plastic soda bottles, darts, a derby car and lots of engineering ingenuity, five GCC students constructed a machine to water a plant and compete against Syracuse University at Onondaga Community College this past weekend. With this recent win, the students will load their plant watering device into a truck and travel to Purdue University in Indiana to enter the National Rube Goldberg Machine Contest on March 26, 2011.

GCC Physics Professor Michael Crittenden explained that when he asked his classes if anyone was interested in attempting a Rube Goldberg Machine, no one spoke up right away. "A couple of days later, a few students said they'd like to try it," Crittenden said. "They've taken responsibility for it themselves and they're still doing a great job."

Engineering students David Simmons (Arcade, NY), Matt Klotzbach (East Pembroke, NY), Nick Rider (Holland, NY), Jen McLure (Pavilion, NY) and drafting student Tom Langley (Arcade) had been working tirelessly before the competition to put their machine together. For the last four weeks, they spent at least 20 hours a week developing their project expecting stiff competition at nationals.

According to the Official Rulebook for the 2011 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest, teams must adhere to strict guidelines according to size and time. The contraption must fit within a six by six by six foot space and complete the task with a minimum of 20 steps - within two minutes per run.

The exact definition of a "step" according to the Rube Goldberg Machine Rulebook is to simply transfer energy from one action into another action.

Rube Goldberg, an American cartoonist who passed away in 1970, was known for the series of cartoons he would draw involving complex, winding devices that perform simple tasks in complicated ways. The students are judged on a recognizable theme for the machine; their demonstrated Rube Goldberg "spirit;" team chemistry; and how well the machine works within the given criteria.

Genesee Community College students say they're aiming for the gold this weekend, but Crittenden is positive that no matter what happens, it will have been a fun trip for the College's first Rube Goldberg competitors.

"If we get gold or last place, we'll be having fun and that's what's important," he said. "Also, this builds a lot of practical skills such as teamwork, imagination and persistence. So, we'll be trying it again. We're making this up as we go along but we hope to get a club together next year."

A New York State Hunter Safety Course, consisting of three sessions, is being offered by the Genesee County Fish & Game Protective Association, Inc., at Godfrey's Pond. It is FREE.

Times are 6 to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday April 12 and 14. And from 8 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, April 16.

You must attend all three sessions to complete the course.

Sign up at Batavia Marine & Sporting Goods, located at 411 W. Main St. in the City of Batavia. A free study manual will be provided to those who sign up at the sporting goods store.

Here's a news release from Genesee Community College.

Students in local high schools are discovering their desired career path a few years earlier thanks to the career academies offered jointly through Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, College Tech Prep, and Genesee Community College.

Part of Genesee Community College's Accelerated College Enrollment program (ACE), the three academies are Health Careers Academy, Information Technology Academy and Legal Careers Academy.

They are offered to academically outstanding high school students during their senior year to enhance the transition to the next level of professional development, and give a sense of closure to high school education. The deadline to submit applications is Friday, April 1.

To qualify for the academies, students must have an 80 or above average, have the required prerequisite courses and submit two letters of recommendation, as well as a letter of intent.

More than 20 schools in Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming counties and numerous local businesses are involved in the academies. The program allows students to earn college credit at a fraction of the cost and to experience careers firsthand through onsite job shadows and internships at a variety of facilities throughout Western New York.

The Health Careers Academy allows students to plan and develop an individualized health career and educational sequence, as well as explore colleges offering these career programs.

They enroll in college classes available at Genesee and receive 15 credits upon successful completion of the following courses: Cell Biology; Responding to Emergencies; Health Career Planning; General Psychology; and Introduction to Healthful Living. Students also become CPR, first aid and AED Certified. The Health Careers Academy is offered through the Batavia and Mt. Morris BOCES locations.

The College Tech Prep Legal Careers Academy is an innovative course of study for students interested in pursuing one of the many technical or professional Legal related careers. The Legal Careers Academy allows students to become aware of current and emerging opportunities in the Legal Career cluster, while earning 15 college credits.

The skills and professionalism required in the Legal profession become understood through this academy. Legal Careers Academy students combine secondary education with collegiate education to achieve their goal of successful employment.

Students should have exemplary attendance, demonstrate proficiency in reading and writing, and possess the responsibility required to work independently and in teams. Fifteen college credits will be earned through the following courses: Introduction to Legal Studies; Introduction to Criminal Justice; Career and Educational Planning; General Psychology; and Introduction to Sociology.

The newest joint venture between Genesee Community College and Genesee Valley Educational Partnership is the Information Technology Career Academy, which opened in September 2007. Information Technology Careers Academy is a one-year program for highly motivated high school seniors interested in exploring the world of information technology as a career choice.

The college course work combined with the hands-on activities will allow students to gain valuable insight into the IT industry while earning 17 college credits before graduating from high school. The college credit bearing courses include: Microcomputer Applications; Programming and Problem Solving; Networking Technologies; Computer Repair; and Career and Educational Planning.

"The College Tech Prep Academies are an excellent way for high schools seniors to meet new people who are interested in a similar career field, figure out what they do or don't want to do for a career while they are still in high school and it doesn't cost them thousands of dollars," said Deborah Dunlevy, Genesee's College Tech Prep Project director. "Nearly all of the College Tech Prep students go on to postsecondary education and find they are ahead of many of their college peers."

Interested students can download the information packet and application for each academy by visiting www.genesee.edu/ACE/techprep <http://www.genesee.edu/ACE/techprep>.

All applications are due to Genesee Valley Educational Partnership by Friday, April 1 and must include a letter of intent, letters of recommendation, high school transcript and junior report cards. Students should contact their high school counselor as soon as possible for scheduling.

For further information please contact Deborah Dunlevy at 343-0055, ext. 6316 or  <http://dkdunlevy@genesee.edu>; or Catherine Bennett, Genesee Valley Educational Partnership Student Services Coordinator, at 344-7711 or <http://cbennett2@gvboces.org>.

A Traditional Printmaking Show is on display at the Batavia gallery of the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ART!). It runs though April 29 and features pieces by 21 local artists.

The Batavia gallery is located inside the Genesee County Senior Center, 2 Bank St. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The printmaking show is the brainchild of AmeriCorps worker Joe Langen. Although digital (computer-generated) prints are fairly commonplace, this show celebrates the time-honored, hand-generated traditional printmaking process.

In photography, a print is considered a copy of a photographed image. In printmaking, prints are original images produced by applying layers of ink to a background, usually paper.

Silkscreen, linoleum, wood block, collography and stencils are perhaps the most common ways of producing prints. Other, more difficult methods include etching, lithography and engraving, to name a few.

Printmaking is a way for artists to share their vision of reality and fantasy. This exhibit gives you a chance to delight in the creativity of established artists and the new generation of gifted teens.

Just because the method is a traditional one, doesn’t mean the themes necessarily are. Lady Gaga, anyone? Please come and share enjoy this delightful variety of perspectives on life and nature.

Student artists whose works are on exhibit at the Batavia gallery are:

Le Roy High School -- Allison Weaver, Karl Graff, Kylan Carter, Rayleigh Staba, Sarah Ehrmentraut, Alexandrea Zoccali, Bobbi Welker, Maggie Kibler, Jonathan Dimick, Rachel Graham and Charlotte Carmel.

Batavia High School -- Rebecca Zinni, Maria Yefremenko, Jamie Whitmore, Annie Janofsky, Samantha Brenkus, Catie Boerschlein, Chelsea Anthony, Hayley Jensen, Bianca Grazioplene and Allison Bryant.

GO ART! exhibits are made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts. For more information, contact GO ART! at 343-9313, info@GOart.org or visit www.GOart.org.

United Memorial Medical Center will host a community education event, "Diabetes Alert," on Thursday, April 14 at Bohn’s Restaurant and Banquet Facility on Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. for informational displays. A light dinner will be served at 5:45 p.m. and will be followed by a program featuring guest speaker, Riva Greenberg.

Greenberg, an author and Huffington Post contributor, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1972. She will share her story and the importance of managing diabetes. Additional presenters include Becky Swanson, YMCA fitness instructor addressing fitness at any age and a member of the UMMC Clinical Pharmacy Department discussing diabetes medication.

Tickets, which include a light dinner and program, are $8 each and available through the hospital’s Healthy Living Department.

Checks may be made payable to UMMC and mailed to Healthy Living, 127 North St., Batavia, NY 14020. Payment may also be made in person at the office location at Cary Hall, 211 East Main St., Batavia between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Tickets are pre-sale only and available until April 4.

Western New York Tri-County Chapter of the American Red Cross will participate in a state Shelter Operations drill from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday March, 19. In Genesee County, the drill will take place at Byron-Bergen High School, 6971 W. Bergen Road, Bergen.

The Red Cross and its community partners will be practicing how to set-up a shelter. The community can see what a shelter looks like, what the sleeping arrangements are, what we will offer for meals, and what a person should bring to a shelter. Join us for a first-hand look.

This information was provided by Independent Living of Genesee Region (ILGR) part of the WNYIL, Inc. Family of Agencies.

Independent Living of Genesee Region took part in a rally in Buffalo today for persons with disabilities.

It was held at the Governor's Regional Office to remind people of the importance of community-based medical services and its commitment to free persons with disabilities from nursing home and hospital placements.

Individuals with disabilities are disillusioned over the current actions of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT). The hasty recommendations of Governor Cuomo’s appointees will cost more money than will be saved by forcing senior citizens and individuals with disabilities into institutions rather than prioritizing community care.

“These cuts are going to cost both senior citizens and individuals with disabilities to go into institutions, costing three times as much as to living in the community," said Douglas J. Usiak, executive director, Western New York Independent Living.

"Contrary to current media campaigns, not everyone is satisfied with the work of the Governor's Redesign Team.”

In addition, the WNY Independent Living, Inc. Family of Agencies is extremely disappointed that the proposals the disability community themselves made -- which could have saved over a billion dollars during the next five years -- didn’t make the cut for the recommendations to the state Department of Health by the Medicaid Redesign Team.

“They said this process was to include all stakeholders in the Medicaid Program, yet they ignored our recommendations in their deliberations,” said Todd G. Vaarwerk, director of Advocacy and Public Policy, Western New York Independent Living.

The rally was sponsored by the Western New York Independent Living Family of Agencies (WNYIL), Buffalo Independent Living Center (ILC), Independent Living of Niagara County (ILNC), Mental Health PEER Connection (MHPC), and Independent Living of Genesee Region (ILGR).

Independent Living of Genesee Region offers services which include: peer counseling for individuals with disabilities as well as their family members; financial benefits consultation; housing search assistance; home and building modification; independent living skills evaluation and instruction; mobility training; recreational peer support groups; a peer mentoring program; and individual and systems advocacy.

Support services including a volunteer program and equipment loans are available. Programs for consumers with disabilities include Medicaid service coordination, individual support services, and family support services transportation program.

Since August 2010, the center’s services have evolved in order to meet its goal of full partnership with people with disabilities in the community. It now participates in programs concerning individual services, programs for consumers with developmental disabilities, mental health services, support services and community services.

To find out more about any of these services or to begin receiving them call (585) 815-8501 (Voice/TDD) or go to 113 Main St., Suite 5, Batavia, New York. Visit the Web site at www.wnyil.org.

Genesee County dairy farmers looking to update their management concepts to deal with today's increased market volatility are urged to attend a workshop on March 22.

"Managing the Margins" is a workshop useful for building long-term viability for any size dairy enterprise. This half-day educational program is hosted by The North West New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crop Team.

It runs from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cornell Cooperative Extension located at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia.

Pre-registration is required by March 18 because group size is limited. The $30 registration fee covers lunch and handouts.

To register contact Cathy Wallace 343-3040, ext. 138, or e-mail cfw6@cornell.edu.
For questions contact John Hanchar 658-3250, ext. 112, or e-mail jjh6@cornell.edu.

It wasn’t too long ago dairy producers were concerned somewhat with variation in milk price and very little with feed cost. More recently, the significance of dramatic price moves has been experienced farms and in the dairy farm community.

This workshop focuses on understanding the economic world around us, global commodity markets and various price-management tools and strategies available for farmer use when managing the risk of declining milk prices and the risk of increasing feed costs.

Managing margin risk has become increasingly significant for producers given enhanced volatility in commodity prices and input costs. While profits are possible in today’s marketplace, producers must simultaneously manage milk revenue and input costs to maintain profitable margins.

The objective of this program is to provide producers with concepts and tools to determine break-even prices, market strategies, and crop insurance decisions appropriate for their operations under various conditions -- with the end goal of being able to identify and capture profitable margins.

The Historical Society of Elba will have a Clor's Chicken B-B-Q on Sunday, April 10, on the museum grounds at 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. or until sold out. The location is Maple Avenue Extension.

Dinners are $8.50 each and include 1/2 chicken, beans, salt potatoes, roll/butter, applesauce and cookie. Dinners may be reserved by calling June at 757-2791. Members have tickets for pre-sale. Call Ron at 757- 2590.

This is the first fundraiser of the year for the Historical Society.

On May 14, the 14th Annual Antique and Collectible Sale will be held at the Elba Fireman's Recreation Hall.

The museum opens for visitors on Memorial Day and each Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. until September. Some special events are being planned for young people.

We welcome everyone to come to enjoy Elba history. We have a restored 1842 home to browse, a barn that holds muck and farm tools, post office and gas station memorablilia.

The main museum has a collection of ladies' hats, Elba Elegant display, Grange, Rotary, Boy Scouts, fireman, military, businesses of Elba, school-related items, toys and a huge working loom.

We welcome old and young alike (and especially in-between) to join us in gathering and promoting the history of Elba. Our next meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 7 at the museum. Coffee and refreshments are served at 6:30 p.m.

The highly anticipated grand opening celebration of the new Rosalie "Roz" Steiner Art Gallery at Genesee Community College is set for 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday, April 15.

The college Board of Trustees and gallery organizers are pleased to recognize the late Roz Steiner, President Stuart Steiner's wife, with the new facility that is named in her honor and located adjacent to the Genesee Center for the Arts at the Batavia campus.

Before Mrs. Steiner died unexpectedly in 2008, she was a visible figure at the college, participating in hundreds of events for board members, faculty, staff and students. She was active in community life and took a special interest in youth and education, serving in such roles as PTA president at John Kennedy School and hosting a number of Rotary exchange students.

She was a native of Maryland born in 1941. She and Stuart married in 1962, five years before relocating in Batavia, where they raised their four children.

The grand opening celebration features the work of two professional, regional artists, Eric Serritella and Carol Acquilano, in a dual exhibit. The two-hour celebration is free and open to the public, and includes music by the Tom Monte Trio and light refreshments.

Serritella is a nationally exhibiting ceramic artist specializing in hand-carved trompe l'oeil vessels transformed into birch and weathered logs. Serritella's one-of-a-kind tromp l'oeil ceramic sculptures have been awarded and exhibited in galleries and museums from coast to coast and in Asia. His work is included in permanent museum collections, including Pittsburgh's Carnegie Museum and The Everson Museum of Art's world class ceramics collection in Syracuse. Many other esteemed collections contain his work, including the Kamm Teapot Foundation – the world's largest private teapot collection.

Serritella has contributed to nearly 50 exhibitions and his work has appeared on the covers of AmericanStyle and Pottery Making Illustrated, and in the pages of Ceramics Monthly, NICHE, Clay Times, The Crafts, Report, and Ceramic Art (Taiwan), as well as in several books and calendars on ceramic art. He has given workshops in the USA, Canada and Taiwan. For more information, visit <http://www.ericserritella.com>.

Painter, printmaker and book binder, Acquilano is an award-winning artist based in Rochester. She paints the landscape in and around her native city of Rochester. Her favorite place to paint, however, is Italy, where she feels the connection to her ancestral roots. Also a printmaker, she has exhibited her work in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Rochester and Cortona, Italy.

Acquilano studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Mass., and earned a bachelor's of arts degree from SUNY Empire State College. She has participated in multiple solo exhibitions throughout Rochester at the Little Theatre, Nazareth College, Philips Fine Arts, Cedar Arts Center, Arts for Greater Rochester and the Lightner Library at Keuka College. She has had several group exhibitions across the country and New York State, including the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester.

Her selections for the Roz Steiner Art Gallery include paintings featuring cultivated landscapes of Cortona that have been painted over the last three years. Created both en plein air and in the studio, her paintings are a testament to her continued effort to develop her artistic voice. For more information on Acquilano, visit her Web site at <http://www.carolacquilano.com.>.

Community residents are kindly asked to RSVP for the gallery's grand opening celebration by calling 345-6809 or foundation@genesee.edu.

For gallery hours or for further information, please contact Gallery Manager Emily Pfeiffer at <http://ECPfeiffer@genesee.edu>.

Serritella's and Acquilano's dual exhibit continues through May 10. Currently, an exhibit of artwork by Genesee's Fine Arts students is on display in the new gallery.

A number of "wish list" items will be presented by the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation, Inc., at 4 p.m. Tuesday to benefit sick children at the B&L Wholesale Pediatric Treament Center.

The treatment center is located at Golisano Children's Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The goods will also benefit the Center for Pediatric Biomedical Research.

Donated items include an iPad, camera, toys, photo printing supplies and a cell electroporation system to the research center.

Attending the presentation will be medical staff and also Mark and Laurie Napoleone (Michael's parents) along with board members of the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation.

Michael's parents established a foundation in his memory after he died in 2006 from Burkitt's Lymphoma/Leukemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer. During Michael’s year-long illness, the community rallied around the family to assist with food, gas, medical bills and other necessities.

The foundation was created to give back to those who cared, give forward to those in need, and to support research efforts in finding a cure for childhood cancer. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization with the mission to “Lend a Hand for Hope” by:

• Assisting families whose children are undergoing cancer treatment with expenses related to hospital stays; provide those children with support during treatment and the means to remain connected with school, family and friends.
• Supporting ongoing research efforts in pediatric blood cancers.
• Offering assistance to youth organizations and community sports programs in Michael’s memory.

Rape Crisis Service is currently recruiting volunteers for our spring training cycle. There is an urgent need in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties for individuals to assist with this important service, which offers free and confidential assistance to victims of sexual assault and their loved ones and is the only one of its kind in the area.

Rape Crisis Service (RCS) offers sexual assault victims' referrals, short-term counseling and support during medical exams, police investigations and court proceedings. Being a RCS volunteer is a very rewarding experience, and without these important individuals who volunteer their time -- 24-hours-a-day, 7 days a week -- the services that RCS offers would not be available.

No prior experience is needed, as RCS provides all volunteers with New York State Department of Health mandated training that educates them how to provide support to victims and their families, assist in the legal process, and how to work with RCS counselors and other volunteers.

Those interested in volunteering for RCS must be at least 20 years of age and be comfortable working with victims in a crisis situation. We are seeking volunteers who can take phone calls from their home as well as volunteers who are able to accompany victims to the hospital or police station.

The time commitment is flexible, and at the volunteer's discretion. If you have always wanted to be an advocate for people in your community, this may be your volunteer opportunity!

Further information about how to volunteer and become involved in Rape Crisis Service can be found on the internet at www.pprsr.org or by contacting Theresa Asmus, Rape Crisis Service area supervisor at 344-0516, ext. 111.

Genesee Community College's newest academic program, Veterinary Technology, will host two information sessions from 5 to 6 p.m. on Monday, March 28 and from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Tuesday March 29. Both sessions will take place in T102 in the Conable Technology Building. The information sessions are free and open to all students and the general public.

The information sessions will discuss Veterinary Technology as a career, the application and admission process, academic requirements and prerequisites as well as degree and licensure information and frequently asked questions.

The Veterinary Technology (Vet Tech) program prepares students to complete the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) that is required for veterinary technician licensure (LVT) in New York State. LVTs are employed extensively in small and large private veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, equine facilities, zoos, medical research facilities, as nutritional and pharmaceutical representatives or herd managers, with USDA and NYS Agricultural & Markets.

Veterinary Technology students complete courses in Anatomy and Physiology, Veterinary Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Veterinary Nutrition, Techniques in Laboratory Animals and Exotics, Small Animal Pathology and Nursing, Large Animal Pathology and Nursing, Surgical Nursing and Anesthesiology, Veterinary Radiology and Dentistry, Parasitology, as well as general education courses, including communications, computers, and mathematics.

Vet Tech students also complete three "externships" consisting of supervised real world experience working with animals in clinical settings throughout the region.

"The local job market is growing for anyone looking for a career as a vet tech," said Kathryn Seweryniak, director of the Veterinary Technology program at Genesee. "The demand for veterinary technicians is expected to grow by 20 percent in New York State over the next six years, and by 41 percent nationwide."

The entire program consists of 72 credit hours and can be completed within two years by students pursuing full-time study. Those students desiring to further their education and career options can explore a business management dual degree or transfer options with four-year colleges and universities to pursue higher degrees in the veterinary medical field.

For further information please contact Kathryn Seweryniak, director of the Veterinary Technology program at 343-0055, ext. 6187 or <http://keseweryniak@genesee.edu>.

The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ART!) is pleased to announce a new exhibit by Daniel Cherry and Robert Williams in its Bank of Castile Main Gallery located in Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St. in Batavia.

The exhibit runs through March 29th and showcases more than 30 works by the two photographers, combined. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, and by appointment.

Cherry has loved taking pictures since he was young. He grew up on a small farm in Oakfield and was very involved in 4-H as a boy. He is now a single dad, and proud father of two boys, Daniel Jr. and Jimmy, whom he has photographed since their birth.

He has exhibited at the former PIECES Gallery, Main Street Coffee and Batavia’s “First Thursdays” event. He is a regular contributor to GO ART!’s annual winter group shows, but this is his first feature show.

Camera in hand everywhere he goes, Cherry feels strongly that “images are important” and that “cameras are like our eyes, but they can capture a moment forever so that someday people can see what we saw…they are a history of our lives, and they can never be replaced if we lose them.”

Similarly attached to his camera, Williams’ slogan is “have camera will travel.” He has belonged to the Batavia Photography Club for 24 years, a club that he feels is a great venue to learn to improve your photography skills (www.bataviaphoto.org).

While most of his photography features elements such as flowers, scenery, hot air balloons and fireworks, Williams has also dabbled in weddings, senior family portraits and family portraits.

“I have learned if you do something and you want a picture of it, take it right then as it might not be there next time,” Williams said, adding, “Go out and have fun with (your) camera.”

He is exhibiting a variety of photos that he hopes everybody enjoys viewing.

GO ART! exhibits are made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts. For more information, contact GO ART! at 343-9313, info@GOart.org or visit www.GOart.org.

This month, the Genesee Center for the Arts at Genesee Community College will present the Jack Stokes play, "Nobody Likes Mordacious (And that's the Way He Likes It)."

Local schools are invited to the daytime private performances of the show scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 23 and Thursday, March 24. One final performance is scheduled for the public at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 25.

Special ticket prices for Friday's performance for family patrons include a buy-one-get-one (BOGO) ticket special. Patrons may buy one adult or senior ticket and get one children ticket free.

Patrons may also "check in" to Genesee Community College on social media platforms such as Foursquare or Facebook, using a mobile device, to receive the BOGO special. Patrons just need to show their "check-in" from their mobile device at the box office when purchasing tickets.

The play is a lively stage fantasy that presents the audience with a young girl named Orafu, who needs to rescue her parents from the ploys of a very wicked fellow. On an epic quest laced with humor, Orafu encounters genies, shadows, monsters, pirates and enlists the aid of a witch-fighting guide in order to restore her family. This play is appropriate for any audience, particularly elementary and middle-school children.

GCC Forum Players cast members are: Tyler Eldred (Dansville) as Chairman; the Narrator, Latoya Soloman (Rochester) as Assistant to the Chairman; and a utility player, Faith Horne (Rochester) as Orafu; a girl going on an adventure, Elizabeth Daniels (Albion); Mother of Orafu, Bobby Steeves, (Albion), Father of Orafu and a utility player, Alex Farley (Pembroke); Mordacious, a wicked fellow, Jamie Hicks (Sterling); Madam Swizzle, a famous fighter of witches, Heather Hilderbrandt  (Lockport); Mordy's Mother and a utility player, Alayna Zimbrick (Hilton); Sailor One, and a utility player, Joanne Taheri (Clarence and Newfane); Mad Maude, a vicious pirate, Sailor Two and a utility player, Alex Grayson (Watertown); Captain Doodlesack, a ship commander, Patrick Dodge (Warsaw); Genie, the Huge and Hairy Thing and a utility player, Ben Liebrand (Greece), Bloody Bernard, a vicious pirate, Nikkia Travis (Rochester); Crazy Catherine, a vicious pirate captain and utility player, Trevlyn Henry (Bronx).

"Nobody Likes Mordacious (And that's the Way He Likes It)," is directed by Norm Gayford, professor in the Humanities Department at GCC. This is his fifth year associated with GCC's theater and his third directing the Children's Theatre show.

Technical and Stage direction by Ed Hallborg, theater technical director and instructor in GCC's Fine and Performing Arts Department, and Jessica Yost, of Albion, a first-year GCC student, is the stage manager.

General admission ticket prices for the public performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 25 are $8 for adults, $5 for senior (55+), students and Genesee faculty and staff, and $3 for Genesee students with a valid GCC ID. GCC Alumni receive a $2 discount on a ticket with a valid GCC Alumni ID card.

For more information on the daytime school performances, contact the Genesee Center for the Arts at 345-6814. The box office is normally open 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and one hour prior to the start of each performance.

To reserve tickets, contact the Box Office at boxoffice@genesee.edu <http://boxoffice@genesee.edu > or call 345-6814. Don't forget BOGO! The Genesee Center for the Arts Box Office accepts cash, checks and now MasterCard and Visa credit cards.

Amy White, of Pavilion, was named to Dean's List at Mansfield University for the fall 2010 semester.

To be named to the Dean's List, a student must be attending the university full-time and earn at least a 3.5 GPA.

Mansfield University is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. For more information, check online at mansfield.edu.

Farmers all around Western New York State are recycling their triple-rinsed plastic containers from agricultural crop protection products such as specialty pest control, crop oils, surfactants, micro-nutrient/fertilizer, and/or adjuvant products.

USAg Recycling, Inc., offers agricultural producers and custom applicators an environmentally “green” convenient option for disposing of their empty containers.  USAg Recycling Inc. will be picking up agricultural plastic containers in several locations throughout New York State in the months of June and October, 2011.

The service is free to farmers and provides an environmentally friendly alternative to burning or throwing away agricultural containers.

Last year, USAg Recycling, Inc., collected 46,000 pounds of plastic containers statewide. It is a contractor for the industry-funded Ag Container Recycling Council (ACRC), which in 2008 celebrated 100 million pounds of agricultural plastic containers recycled from across the United States.

Today, ACRC averages eight million pounds collected each year. Collected containers are ground into chips and recycled as corrugated plastic field drainage pipe and other ACRC approved products. Farmers are doing their share to help keep plastic out of the landfills.

Containers accepted are HDPE #2 plastic containers only, ranging from less than one gallon to 55-gallon barrels. Large 250-gallon shuttle totes must be cut into 2-foot-wide pieces and free of any hardware. Cutting tanks in this manner facilitates proper cleaning and inspection, reduces storage area, and allows for direct feed into the granulation machine.

To be acceptable for recycling, plastic containers must be empty, clean, uncapped and dry. To help store containers until pick-up time, bags that hold 50 to 60 – 2.5-gallon containers are available for free upon registration.

Exact pick-up dates at local sites will be available within the first weeks of June and October.

Please contact Elizabeth Bentley-Huber at Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District at 343-2362 or at Elizabeth.Bentley-Huber@ny.nacdnet.net. or Tucker Kautz with Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District at 473-2120, ext. 108, for more information and registration.

The annual Genesee County Middle School Youth Conference will be held on Tuesday, March 15, at Genesee Community College in Batavia. This year's theme is "Bully Prevention: Taking the Bully by the Horns."

More than 20 workshops will be offered to about 400 seventh- and eighth-grade students from public and paraochial schools countywide.

The workshops are related to increasing resiliency and other protective factors, while building life skills, such as decision-making, leadership and practicing a healthy lifestyle.

The youth conference runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The keynote speech is scheduled from 9 to 10 a.m.

An internationally known keynote presenter, Michael Nerney, executive director of Michael Nerney and Associates, will address the youth and will also provide a workshop to teachers, parents and other adults.

The focus of Nerney's presentation will be on adolescent brain development and the negative effects of bullying on brain development. The message will be geared to changing social norms among middle-school youth so that everyone in bullying situations, especially bystanders, understand that bullying is not acceptable, nor is it harmless.

With teachers and other adults, Nerney will stress that prevention and intervention with bullies, both male and female, is essential to creating a safe environment for learning. In this workshop, teachers will examine characteristics of bullies and victims; identify both subtle and “red flag” behaviors; and explore options for intervening with bullies.

Michael Nerney is a consultant in Substance Abuse Prevention and Education, with more than 29 years of experience in the field. He is a certified instructor in violence prevention and management with the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI).  He has been a consultant for two of the major television networks and most recently appeared on the ABC program “20/20.”

In addition to schools, the annual conference is a result of collaboration between several Genesee County human service agencies, GCC, area businesses and sponsors.

Sponsors include: Genesee County STOP-DWI; Genesee County Youth Bureau; Batavia Rotary Club; Batavia Lions Club; Kiwanis Club of Batavia; Genesee County SADD Chapter; Upstate Farms Cooperative; Lake Ontario Fruit, Inc; Genesee Community College; Batavia Subway; City of Batavia Youth Bureau; Cornell Cooperative Extension (4-H) of Genesee County; Planned Parenthood; GCASA (Genesee/Orleans Council on Substance and Alcohol Abuse); and the Genesee Area Family YMCA.

Questions regarding the conference may be addressed to: Jocelyn Sikorski of the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 344-3960, by e-mail at jsikorski@co.genesee.ny.us  or, Paul Webster of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County at 343-3040, ext. 117, or by e-mail at pvw7@cornell.edu.