Announcements

Ascension Parish will hold a festive traditional Polish Wigilia Dinner at Ascension Parish, Slomba Hall, 17 Sumner St., Batavia, on Sunday, Dec. 6th, 2015 at 5 p.m. with doors opening at 3:45 p.m. The general public is invited to celebrate the Christmas season in faith, hope and love.

The Wigilia is a seven-course meatless Christmas meal replete with the sharing of the Opłatek (Christmas Wafer). Kolendy (Christmas Carols) will be sung. There will be a visit from St. Nicholas for the children. Entertainment is being provided by the Ole Hippies.

There will be cocktails, theme baskets, 50/50 split club, quilt and specialty raffles.

Donations are $25 per person (adult) and $12 per person (child). Tickets may be purchased online at ascensionrcc@weshareonline.org. for a cost of $26.75 per person (adult) and $13.75 per person (child).

For more information contact the Parish Office at 585-343-1796.

Featuring catering by Dibble Family Center, Batavia.

The Genesee County 4-H Youth Development Program is offering a Harvest Pie Workshop for all area youth ages 5 to 19.

The workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17th, at 6:30 p.m. and will take place at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Office, 420 E. Main St., Batavia. Come and learn how to bake holiday pies just in time for Thanksgiving! Youth do not need to be 4-H members to attend, and parents are welcome. Cost: $10 per youth.

Register by Nov. 13th by calling Brandie at the 4-H Office at 585-343-3040, ext. 101. Complete event information is also available on the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/events

Press release:

Can photography change the course of history for a landscape? In 1872, Congress was so moved by photographs of Yellowstone that it was made into a National Park. The GCC Photo Club students continue in this tradition as they bring you inspiring local views captured by their lenses in “The Land of Our Land” photo show at the Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center.

Finding balance with the location, quality of light, and atmospheric conditions, the artists practice using camera settings and their own creativity to create interesting and thoughtful images. Students’ interpretation of their work is revealed in the captions of each piece.

Celebrate the beauty of autumn in Genesee County at “The Land of Our Land” photography show, hosted by the GCC Photo Club from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13th at the Interpretive Nature Center at Genesee County Park & Forest. Photography show is free. Enjoy some refreshments, take in the views, and just breathe...

(Submitted photo: Kathy Coyne, LPN instructor, caps LPN Graduate Eileen Fugle.)

(Submitted photo: LPN graduates Brandon Hilyard, Ajanee Hill, Emma Greenman, Rima Gebrimariam, Amanda Gath and Eileen Fugle.)

Press release:

The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership’s School of Practical Nursing celebrated its graduation Oct. 16 at Pavilion Central School. Twenty-five practical nursing graduates were capped and pinned during the ceremony. The majority of this high-ranking class achieved a 90 percent or above average.

These students completed the 12-month, 1,200-clock-hour program, which is certified by the New York State Education Department and designed to prepare graduates for the NCLEX-PN Examination for licensure.

Applications are currently being accepted for this 12-month program that is offered in three locations, Batavia, Greece and Leicester. All of the Adult Education Programs offered by the Partnership are eligible for GI bill ® funding for qualified applicants.

For more information about this program, contact the Adult Education/School of Practical Nursing at (585) 344-7788.

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The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership offers a broad scope of adult education programs including a School of Practical Nursing and a Certified Nursing Assistant program, vocational training as well as classes for those seeking to broaden their skill sets. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services offering shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York state.

(Submitted photos.)

Press release:

Girl Scout Troop 42001 completed their Bronze Award during September. 

The Bronze Award is the highest award a Junior Girl Scout can earn. Following completion of some prerequisites, the Junior scouts submitted and voted on sustainable projects they would like to complete for our community and/or environment.  

The majority vote was to build birdhouses. The scouts had to: locate an organization that needed birdhouses; meet with organizers to determine what to build; obtain plans and determine supplies needed; create a letter for solicitation of supplies; solicit for those supplies; locate someone to cut the lumber; assemble the birdhouses; and finally, install the birdhouses.

Services and supplies provided by Woody at Genesee Lumber, Park at ACE Hardware, Frank Kulikowski, of Frankly Design, and Bob Bathrick, master carpenter and cabinetmaker for TRB Bathrick.

The original installer of the blue birdhouses at the Genesee County Park is Charles Augrom. The scouts met with Augrom to discuss the project. He also provided oversite on the construction of the houses on Sept. 11. The scouts enjoyed installing the blue birdhouses with Augrom and Jerome, an ACORN volunteer, on Septe. 27.

Press release:

The Buffalo Sabres, the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), and the National Hockey League (NHL^®) have announced the launch of a new hockey-themed educational course as part of the NHL & NHLPA Future Goals™ Program. Since its launch in September 2014, Future Goals™ has reached over 375,000 students across the United States and Canada in 3,500 schools and yielded over 1.5 million hours of STEM learning.

The Hockey Scholar™ course takes students on an exciting educational journey with a goal of winning the Stanley Cup. As they guide their team, students complete twelve learning modules that educate them and test their knowledge on core STEM concepts covering data analysis, geometry, life science and physical science topics. These topics come to life through real hockey examples that include the dynamics of the ice surface, equipment design, athletic performance, and geometric and energy considerations to how the game is played.

Hockey Scholar™ maps to state and provincial math and science standards as well as the national NGSS and CCSS Math standards. The course was developed by Washington, D.C.-based EverFi, the critical skills education leader that has certified more than 12 million learners.

“The level of engagement in this program from the league, the players, and their clubs is unprecedented in the sports world,” said EverFi Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Jon Chapman. “What’s most important is how this partnership is making a difference for thousands of students and teachers across North America.”

Heather Cummings, sixth-grade Science Teacher at Alexander Central School District will begin using this program today, Oct. 28, with approximately 62 students. This summer, Shannon Whitcombe, Middle and High School Principal and avid Buffalo Sabres fan learned about the program during a meeting with EverFi, Inc. After this First Day Start, there will be over 3,000 students taking part in the Future Goals program locally in Buffalo-Niagara Region. Alexander will be the first Science department in Genesee County to begin utilizing this resource which is provided by the NHL, NHLPA and Buffalo Sabres at no cost to all area schools.

More information on Future Goals™ can be found at futuregoals.nhl.com or feel free to contact your local Schools Manager, Colleen Schafer at (716) 748-6860 or colleen@everfi.com

In honor of New York State History Month, which is celebrated the entire month of November, the Genesee County Federation of Historical Agencies, Western New York Association of Historic Agencies (WNYAHA) and the Genesee Community College History Club are teaming up to sponsor "History Day" at GCC on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the College Forum.

The aim of the event is to promote awareness of all of the historical assets in Genesee County and is free and open to the public.

Museums and historical agencies from all over Genesee County will set up booths for visitors to explore. In addition, there will be local history books on sale, craft demonstrations, reenactors from different periods in history, firing demonstrations and much more.

The GCC History Club will also provide a photo booth where attendees can have their picture taken with impressionists of Abraham Lincoln, Gen. Robert E. Lee and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.

"I am very excited about History Day!" Derek Maxfield, GCC's associate professor of History said. "We did this a few years ago and it was very well received. It is a great way for the public to learn about what our county has to offer in museums, historical societies and historical assets."

New York State History Month was created by the New York State legislature in 1997 and represents an opportunity for historians to assert the vital importance of preserving and learning about our state's history. It is also a time to engage with the public through programs and learning opportunities about the history of New York State and the ways in which we can help preserve our history.

Press release:

GCC will host a continuing education seminar for licensed veterinary technicians and teterinarians from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 31.

It is sponsored by the New York State Association of Veterinary Technicians (NYSAVT) and will take place in the Conable Technology Building.

Cost is $150 for NYSAVT and NYS Veterinary Medical Society (NYSVMS) members for the day, which includes breakfast snacks and lunch at Subway. Advance registration is strongly encouraged by going to www.nysavt.org or calling 518-779-0775. Sessions will end by 3:15, so participants will be home in time for Trick-or-Treating!

This is the second year GCC has hosted the seminar. New York State requires 24 hours of continuing education through each three year period for LVTs to continue to maintain their license, and 45 hours for veterinarians over a three year period. Six hours of CE credit will be offered through the following 11 different sessions that participants can choose from.

•    The Changing Face of Shelter Medicine, Kathleen Makolinski, DVM

•    TNVR: A Strategy to Humanely Manage Community Cats, Kathleen Makolinski, DVM

•    Ready, Set, Stop! Establishing and Implementing Checklists and Timeouts, Karen Basher, LVT

•    Patient Monitors: Friend, Foe or Something In Between, Karen Basher, LVT

•    Communication, Stress and Compassion Fatigue, Aggie Kiefer, LVT

•    Your Dog Ate What? Common Pet Poisons You Need to Know, Carrie Caccamise, DVM

•    The flu's plight to "get you my pretty and your little dog, too!" Canine Influenza, Heidi Pecoraro, DVM

•    Nutrition: A Cornerstone of Pet Health, Cynthia Farrell, DVM

•    An Introduction to Alternative and Complementary Therapies and Their Use in Vet Medicine,

Richard Mathis, DVM

•    Avian Influenza: Why Are My Eggs So Expensive?, Cricket Johnson, DVM

•    Basic Nutrition and Clinical Tool, Veronica Whiteside, DVM

Press release:

The University of Rochester School of Nursing is offering 50-percent tuition support in scholarships for its Care Manager Education, RN-to-BS completion and Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner programs to meet the educational needs of health care employees in the Finger Lakes region.

Infusing the region with graduates from the three programs will directly fill gaps in care to help patients achieve better health outcomes.

Currently, there’s a rising demand for nurses resulting from a transformation of the region’s Medicaid health care delivery system, through the New York State Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program, regionally organized by the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS).  New York State is using the DSRIP reform model to improve clinical outcomes and reduce avoidable ED use and hospitalizations by 25 percent over five years.

FLPPS — a not-for-profit organization representing a network of 28 hospitals, 3,000 health care providers and more than 600 health care and community-based organizations in a 13 county region — aims to address current shortfalls in the health care system, including the role of behavioral health in primary care and skilled nursing facilities, patient care transitions, chronic disease management, and integrating health care services across multiple care settings. The FLPPS region covers Allegany, Cayuga, Chemung, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties.
 
For more information, visit the School of Nursing’s Web site at SON.Rochester.edu

Press release:

New York Sea Grant is inviting public stakeholders in the Lake Ontario region of New York State to share their best thinking on what actions are needed through lake and watershed planning to prepare for possible future extreme climate conditions and population changes in the region at workshops at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 in Watertown and at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 12 in Rochester.

Specific areas for discussion at the workshops include potential actions related to water resource management, infrastructure, land use and zoning, governance, economic development related to agriculture, recreation and tourism, and ecosystem management.

The workshops will consider potential recommendations to address both exceedingly wet and dry futures in the Lake Ontario region through stormwater management, riparian buffers, wetlands restoration, stream hydrology, job training, and energy considerations.

These workshops offer the public the opportunity to voice thoughts on the changing dynamics in the Lake Ontario region and how those changes may impact their communities, their businesses, the environment, and boating, fishing and other recreation interests, says workshop organizer David B. MacNeill, New York Sea Grant, Oswego.

Lake and watershed planning informed by grassroots wisdom along with input by experts in climate, natural resources, and other fields will help communities be better prepared to adapt to the challenges of an uncertain future, says New York Sea Grant Associate Director and Cornell Cooperative Extension Assistant Director Katherine Bunting-Howarth, Ithaca.

New York Sea Grant will add public input to a report that will be presented to local, State and Federal agencies and stakeholder organizations to assist future planning efforts.

Seating is limited for the Nov. 10 workshop at Cornell Cooperative Extension Jefferson County, 203 N. Hamilton St., Watertown. The Nov. 12 workshop in Rochester will be held at the Rochester Museum and Science Center Bausch Auditorium, 657 East Ave. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. for each workshop. Registration is recommended by calling New York Sea Grant at (315) 312-3042, slm22@cornell.edu.

Funding for the workshop is through the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments project of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to build capacity to manage risks from climate change and variability in the Great Lakes region.
 
MORE INFO:
The counties included in the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments project in New York State are Cayuga, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Monroe, Niagara, Onondaga, Orleans, Oswego, and Wayne.

The watersheds included in the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments project in New York State are: Black, Buffalo Eighteenmile, Cattaraugus, Chaumont Perch, Chautauqua-Conneaut, Conewango, French, Indian, Irondequoit Ninemile, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lower Genesee, Niagara, Oak Orchard Twelvemile, Oneida, Oswegatchies, Oswego, Salmon Sandy, Seneca, Upper Allegheny, and Upper St. Lawrence.

New York Sea Grant is a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York is one of 33 university-based programs under the National Sea Grant College Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Through its statewide network of integrated services, NYSG has been promoting coastal vitality, environmental sustainability, and citizen awareness about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources since 1971.

For updates on New York Sea Grant activities, www.nyseagrant.org <http://www.nyseagrant.org> has RSS, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube links.

Press release:

Brach Machine is welcoming the community to support Manufacturing Day! First held in 2012, Manufacturing Day highlights the importance of manufacturing to the economy and draws attention to the many high-skill jobs available in manufacturing fields.

For more than 30 years, Brach Machine, Inc., has been a leading worldwide supplier, providing innovative shot-end components for all makes and models of zinc and aluminum high-pressure die-casting machines. With a greater demand from our customers and new products in development, finding machinists with the skills we need to join the Brach Machine team has become even more important.

Brach Machine is pleased to announce they will be hosting two open houses this year to observe Manufacturing Day. Guided tours of the facility will take place, showcasing modern manufacturing technology and careers.

Tuesday, Oct. 27 -- three times available:  8 a.m., or 11:30 a.m., or 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 5 -- three times available: 8 a.m., or 11:30 am, or 2:30 p.m.

Spots are limited, so the open house will be on a first-come-first-serve basis.

RSVP to:
Tim Gleba
Production Supervisor
Brach Machine Inc.
www.brachmachine.com
4814 Ellicott Street Road
Batavia, NY 14020
tim@brachmachine.com
585-343-9134

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today applauded October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month nationwide. Hawley expressed concern about this issue and was pleased to see many New York State leaders, including Gov. Cuomo, raising awareness of breast cancer research.

“Cancer is something that touches tens of thousands of families a year in New York, and breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death for women across the U.S.,” Hawley said. “We have made significant strides toward finding a cure for cancer over the last decade but we are not there yet. I am proud that the pink ribbon has become a widely recognized symbol in society because that means we are increasing awareness of this issue and more women are remembering to schedule regular mammograms.

"I will do my part to push for increased funding for breast cancer research at the state level and I encourage all of my constituents to spread the word so together we can beat this disease."

Batavia Foot Care Center, offering podiatric medicine and surgery, is celebrating its relocation to 3922 W. Main Street Road with a free, public open house featuring hors d'oeuvres and refreshments.

It will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The new location is across the road from Toyota of Batavia.

The staff is excited about the expansion into a warm, spacious modern podiatry office with services including a diabetic show program, digital X-ryas and up-to-date treatments and products.

Also, the center announces the retirement of Dr. Gina Teresi. She founded Batavia Foot Care Center 30 years ago with the motto "Always Put the Patient First!"

They are pleased to introduce Dr. Zerah Ali as a new provider on their team beginning Oct. 12. He is a graduate of Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. He did his residency at the Staten Island University Hospital and most recently practiced podiatry in Syracuse. He is accepting new patients.

Questions? Contact 344-1677.

Visit at www.bataviafootcarecenter.com

Nate Hodge's "Everything Flows" exhibit opens Oct. 8 at the Rosalie "Roz" Steiner Art Gallery at Genesee Community College.

It will feature the mixed media work of Nate Hodge, a Brockport native. Two opening receptions are planned on Oct. 8: from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.; and again later that day from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Prior to the first reception, Hodge will be giving a lecture about his work in the Gallery at 12:30 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.

Hodge uses art to explore his observations through their temporality. Delicate forms develop and dissolve amidst the various layers of his work. Applying the same principle, the last moments of each painting set the parameters for the beginning of the next, creating a continuous flow among each exhibited work.

An accomplished, contemporary painter, Hodge is indirectly influenced by everything he has experienced in his 36 years, from food to family. Hodge took an interest in art at a young age and dreamed of a career as an artist.

"With my paintings I try to understand things through their temporality," Hodge writes of his works. "How I paint begins with what I observe happening around me, observations which can come from nearly anything."

His work has recently been displayed at Main Street Arts (Clifton Springs), the SUNY Global Center (New York City) The College at Brockport, The University of Buffalo, and several exhibitions in Buffalo and Rochester.

Hodge is the 2014 recipient of the Elliott Painting Award presented by The University at Buffalo, as well as the 2013 recipient of the Alumni Portfolio Award and the Maurice J. Moss Award presented by The College at Brockport.

"Everything Flows" will be displayed in the gallery through Nov. 25. The exhibit can be viewed during regular gallery hours, which are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. For more information on all upcoming events at the Roz Steiner Art Gallery visit www.genesee.edu/gallery or www.facebook.com/gccgallery.

Local residents and businesses may help those less fortunate in the community by bringing in items to the Edward Jones branch office during regular business hours from Thursday, Oct. 1st to Thursday, Nov. 19th.

The items needed for the food drive include: canned and boxed items such as cereal, pasta sauce, peanut butter -- of which they are currently low in stock. Canned fruits, vegetables, gravy, soups, pasta and canned meats are always needed. potatoes, pasta, desserts, and gravy.

The branch address is 7 Jackson St. Batavia, NY 14020.

Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company, provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliate, in Canada.

Press release:

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will host its annual meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20. The meeting is open to the public and will begin at 5 p.m. at Terry Hills Restaurant, 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

We will be honoring Master Gardener Volunteer David Russell with the “Friend of Extension” Award and appropriate tropical attire is optional.

Anyone planning to attend can RSVP by Oct. 13 to Samantha Stryker at sls428@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040, ext. 123.