Announcements

Press release:

Learn how rabbits make ideal pets and 4-H projects for youth in rural and urban areas!  Bunny Bonanza presented by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee and Monroe Counties, will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 25, at the Genesee County Fair, 5056 E. Main St. Road, Batavia.

This event is open to all Finger Lakes area youth ages 8 – 19. Youth do not need to be 4-H members to participate. Registration deadline is July 8.

The Bunny Bonanza will feature two levels of workshops: beginner and advanced.

The beginner workshop will cover basic housing, feeding, novice showmanship and more!  The advanced workshop will focus on housing design, nutrition, breeding and genetics, advanced showmanship and more!

Registration fee: $10 per youth and includes: parking passes for the Genesee Co. Fair, lunch, and a copy of the 4-H Rabbit Resource Handbook for Breeding, Market, and Pet Rabbit Projects courtesy of the New York State 4-H Foundation Willman Fund.  (One resource guide per family will be provided.)

For a complete event brochure and registration form please visit: http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/events or contact the Genesee County 4-H Office at 585-343-3040, ext. 101, or genesee4h@cornell.edu.

Horsemen and racing fans are reminded that post time for the Genesee County Fair races to be held at Batavia Downs on July 16 have been moved to 5 p.m. to avoid any construction issues of the new hotel that will be located on the Batavia Downs property adjacent to the racing paddock.

The entry box closes at 10 a.m. on Monday (July 13). To enter please call Racing Secretary Donna Kerr at 716-338-5387.

Anyone with questions should contact Director/GM of Live Racing Todd Haight at 585-343-3750, ext. 322.

A 3 vs. 3 Basketball Tournament will be held for boys on Saturday, July 11, in the Pembroke High School Gym. Registration is due on Monday July 6. Cost is $40 per team; there's a two-game guarantee.

There will be three divisions:

• Boys entering fourth-fifth grade;
• Boys entering sixth-seventh grade;
• Boys entering eighth-ninth grade.

First-place teams in each division will win a trophy. Teams will be placed in the division appropriate for the oldest member of the team.

If you have any questions call Matt Shay at (585) 610-3755. E-mail: mshay@pembroke.k12.ny.us

The registration form includes: the division; team name; e-mail for contact person; phone number for contact person; name of five players on team, grade they are entering and school.

Proceeds benefit Pembroke Boys Basketball. If paying by check, please make it out to "Pembroke Boys Basketball." MUST BE POSTMARKED BY JULY 6TH!

Mail to Matt Shay, 2385 Richley Road, Corfu, NY 14036.

Here are the tournament rules:

Press release:

Saratoga Springs, NY –The New York State Sheriffs' Association and the New York State Sheriffs’ Association Institute held their annual training conference for Civil Division Supervisors in May at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs, NY. Forty-seven deputy sheriffs and civilian staff from 36 sheriff’s offices around the state attended the three-day training program.

All Sheriffs have civil law enforcement functions, which include the service of process and enforcement of judgments and other court orders and mandates. 

The annual program provides participants with training in the latest advances in civil law enforcement and a forum to discuss current civil law enforcement issues and share best practices.

The June meeting of the Stafford Historical Society will be a road trip. On Wednesday, June 24th, we will be boarding a bus at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Hall, located at the corner of Route 237 and Route 5.

The intention of the Society has been to repair the headstones and to tidy-up the town's abandoned pioneer cemeteries for our Town's 200th birthday. Our road trip will be for members and guests to view their condition.

We have room for 30 to 35 people. Please call 344-7070 or 343-1928 to reserve a space.

Press release:

Pembroke Town Board will meet Monday June 15, 2015  5 p.m.  at the Pembroke Town Hall, 1145 Main Road, Corfu, NY  to discuss  a  personal matter.

Press release:

The Janice & Paul Keesler Scholarship Fund is proud to announce that it is now accepting applications from qualified students toward receiving scholarship assistance.

As a living memorial for two people who loved New York State and the outdoors, this fund assists students training in the field of wildlife management.

Paul and Janice were avid sports persons who wrote and lectured about the outdoors and founded and published the nationally recognized and respected "New York Sportsman Magazine."

A great loss to all those who appreciate the wonder of nature, Janice passed away suddenly in 1988 and Paul in July of 2005. They are greatly missed.

According to Scholarship Fund President Dave Hamilton, "These annual scholarship awards are available to any New York State resident who has been accepted into an accredited institution of higher learning and is, or will be, working toward obtaining a degree in some facet of wildlife management."

The 23rd series of Janice & Paul Keesler Scholarship Awards will be distributed in December. To date, the fund has had the honor of distributing more than $29,500 in grants to deserving Wildlife Management students.

Any qualified individual interested in applying for these Scholarships may do so by sending a request for an application form, along with a stamped, self-addressed legal sized (#10) envelope to:

The Janice & Paul Keesler Scholarship Fund
C/o Bridget Keesler (sec/treas)
PO Box 485
Newport, NY 13416

An application may also be obtained by going to www.keeslerscholarshipfund.org and the application can be printed from the Web site. The completed application form must be returned to the committee no later than Sept. 1.

Individuals or clubs wishing to make a contribution to the fund may do so by sending their donation to the same address, with the sincere gratitude of the Scholarship Committee! In December of this year and continuing on an annual basis, a wonderful couple who cared deeply about our state's outdoor sports will be remembered in a meaningful way, thanks to the generosity of those same outdoor sportsmen.

For additional information about the Keesler Scholarship Fund, please visit this Web site:

www.keeslerscholarshipfund.org

Or send inquiries to:
Keeslerbridget@gmail.com

The BEST Center at Genesee Community College is offering a series of "Brush up Your Skills" courses for students who plan to begin their college studies this fall. These non-academic credit classes in Math, Writing and Reading cost no more than $15 and are designed to help students increase their placement test scores and enable registration into higher-level courses. This not only potentially saves students tuition dollars, but also improves the likelihood of timely graduation.

The courses are geared toward incoming freshmen who may not have performed as well as expected on the COMPASS Placement Test, and also for high school graduates of all ages who may be beginning college after being out of school for some time. Current GCC students continuing their studies are also eligible. After completing the Brush Up courses, students retake the placement tests to potentially improve their scores and also eliminate the need to take developmental courses in these subject areas.

The three courses being offered include:

Math Pre-Algebra Placement Test Review, $15, July 21 – Aug. 12, Wednesdays, 6 – 9 p.m.
Brush up on the seven pre-algebra topics assessed by the COMPASS placement test so you can place directly into basic algebra or a credit-bearing college math course. Students may retake the COMPASS exam at the end of the course.

Writing Placement Test Review, $10, Monday – Thursday, Aug.10-13, 9 a.m. – noon
Review basic writing skills so you're prepared for college-level academic writing. The course will cover basic concepts including essay structure, sentence mechanics and test-taking strategies. Students may retake the COMPASS exam at the end of the course.

Reading Placement Test Review, $10, Monday – Thursday, Aug. 10-13, 1 – 4 p.m.
This course is designed to help those students who are close to meeting the college level reading requirement enhance the effective and efficient reading skills they need for academic work on the college level. These students have tested into the developmental class Gaining Power in College Reading (REA 101), but will be able to retest at the end of the course.

"We understand that placement testing is often the hardest and most intimidating part of starting a college program," said Reid Smalley, the executive director of GCC's BEST Center. "In a collaborative effort with our BEST Center, we specifically designed the Brush Up Your Skills Series to help students over this hurdle. For anyone who wants to start college in September, or those who hope to graduate through an associate degree program within two years, this is an excellent investment of their time."

Students interested in these classes may register in the GCC Records office, at The BEST Center in the Conable Technology Building on the Batavia campus, or online at www.bestcenter.org. For more information, contact The BEST Center at (585) 345-6868.

Press release and submitted photos from Pat Lamon:

On Thursday, May 21, at the Byron Fire Hall, 70-plus attendees came together to celebrate the Red White & Blue at the Patriotic Dance.

American flags and stars of red, white and blue adorned the Byron Fire Hall on a beautiful May evening. As usual, folks danced to their favorite songs and enjoyed the usual snacks. Uncle Joe snapped photos between filling in as the evening’s DJ.

A highlight of the evening was when our young Byron Volunteer Firefighters paraded to the dance floor leading the group in the "YMCA" dance. Birthdays were recognized prior to our customary circle dances; the Chicken Dance and the Hokie Pokie.

The last two dances of 2015 are: the Halloween Dance on Thursday, Oct. 15th, followed by the Christmas Dance on Thursday, Nov. 19^th.

All dances are 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Byron Fire Hall on Route 262 near the Route 237 intersection. The dances are sponsored by Byron Ladies Auxiliary, and are open to all folks with developmental disabilities ages 13 and up living in Genesee County, family and caregivers are also welcome. Adequate supervision is required. Anyone wanting to volunteer or need more information may call Pat Iamon at 245-2918 or Laura Platt at 548-2245.

The second annual Hometown Trail has kicked off and a variety of shops in Genesee County have joined together to offer shoppers a fun way to explore unique storess and win prizes along the way.

The Hometown Trail 2015 shops and their communities include:

• Country Hill -- Pavilion
• The Hobby Horse -- Le Roy
• The Artisans @YWCA North Street -- Batavia
• Harrington's Produce Market -- Batavia
• Torrey’s Market -- Elba
• The Mill -- Elba
• Mulberry Station -- Pembroke
• Kozy Kabin -- Corfu
• Berried Treasures -- Darien Center
• Country Cottage -- Darien Center

Maps can be found at any of these shops. Trail-goers can explore along the way and get their map stamped at each store until the end of August when maps will be turned in for prize drawings. Find out more on The Hometown Trail Facebook Page.

The Byron-Bergen Central School District will be serving your and your family delicious breakfasts and lunches this summer, July 6 through Aug. 7. The goal is to provide the community with convenient, economical and healthy meals. ALL KIDS EAT FREE. No paperwork necessary. Adults pay $2.50 for breakfast and $4 for lunch.

Meals are available from Monday through Friday. Breakfast is served from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m. and lunch is from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Just show up at the cafeteria!

Questions? Call the elementary school at 585-494-1220, ext. 1015.

SIGN UP NOW HOLLAND LAND OFFICE MUSEUM HISTORY HEROES SUMMER PROGRAM JULY 28TH – AUG. 7TH.
FOR MORE INFORMATION 585‐343‐4727 
HOLLANDLANDOFFICE.COM AND CLICK ON THE EVENTS TAB

Cornell Cooperative Extension’s NWNY Team is planning a pasture walk at the farm of John and Sue Mikel Friday, June 26 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at 6321 East Bethany-Le Roy Road, Stafford. John and Sue own and operate Mikelholm Holsteins, a small grazing dairy they started on a 30-acre field they purchased seven years ago. They built a house and barn with a parlor. They graze their 35 cows plus youngstock on the remaining land and supplement with purchased feed. They also knew grazing would provide health benefits to the cows and reduce demands on labor. An added benefit was the reduced bedding costs while the cows are out on pasture.

Discussion will include how John and Sue got started, and fence and laneway layout. Come and hear how their nutritionist balances the summer ration, and how to control parasites on pasture, plus more. There will be ample time for open discussion during the walk.

Lunch will be provided and is sponsored by Select Sires and milk will be donated by Upstate Farms.

Registration is required by June 19 to get an accurate count for lunch. The cost of the pasture walk is $10 per person or $20 per farm/family.
 
To register contact Cathy Wallace at 585.343.3040, ext. 138 or cfw6@cornell.edu.
For questions contact Nancy Glazier at 585.315.7746 or nig3@cornell.edu.
 
A check made out to CCE may be mailed to CCE, Attn: Cathy Wallace, 420 E. Main St., Batavia, NY  14020.

Press release:

International Experience -- USA (iE-USA), a high school student exchange organization, announced that it plans to welcome a record number of students to U.S. communities in the Fall, mirroring a national trend. According to CSIET (Council on Standards for International Education Travel), 200,000+ exchange students are expected this year.

As the leading English-speaking host country of foreign exchange students, our nation as a whole has seen an increase in high school exchange participants of about 13 percent in the past decade (CSIET 2013; 2014). This upward trend is expected to continue as a growing number of international students seek both English fluency and cultural competency to prepare for the increasingly global marketplace.

When U.S. communities engage with a growing number of international students, local schools and families benefit from the cultural interactions they inherently provide.

"Every year our state plays host to many talented, top-of-their-class students with the lifelong dream of studying in America," says Emily Rolin, iE-USA's regional director, “and our communities reap the rewards.”

Rolin, who boasts 10 years of work in student exchange, says that each student who visits her community brings with them a unique perspective.

“We have the opportunity to see through their eyes: to explore another culture not through travel, but through relationships,” she said.

Though many high schools once viewed exchange participants as “extra” students requiring the attention of teachers and staff, the popular opinion among administrators is shifting to favor exchange student enrollment as a natural way to integrate differing worldviews into the classroom. The U.S. Department of Education has stressed the importance of building the global competencies of U.S. students to make them internationally competitive, and many believe that welcoming exchange students into the high school setting can help toward that end.

“As a principal, I truly appreciate the opportunity to host foreign exchange students on a yearly basis,” says Principal Kevin O’Neill of Vicksburg, Mich. “The infusion of a variety of cultures into our high school has been an invaluable experience for our students.”

Families who host an exchange student often benefit on a more personal level, forming family ties that last far beyond the boundaries of the exchange. Hosting an international student offers these local families a realistic way to explore a new culture right at home.

“My wife and I wanted to travel the world, but we both worked full time, so we brought the world to us!” remembers Dave Long, a retired Vietnam veteran who has been hosting exchange students since 1982.

“Our family has been blessed in so many ways by student exchange,” says Sara Lee, whose family has hosted 3 iE-USA students in the past five years. “We consider our students to be a part of our extended ‘international’ family!' ”

The Lees recently returned from Colombia, where they visited their previous exchange students’ families and toured the local countryside.

iE-USA’s exchange student participants are between the ages of 15-18 and come from many countries including Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Thailand, Montenegro, and Argentina. Each student undergoes an extensive application process and is responsible for his/her own spending money and health insurance coverage. A list of current students can be found online at http://usa.international-experience.net/. <http://usa.international-experience.net/>

Host families (traditional families, singles, empty nesters, etc.) provide a supportive home base for their student for a semester or full academic year. Visiting students participate as active members of the family, integrating into their daily routines and traditions just like any other family member.

iE-USA is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting education and understanding through intercultural and academic exchange. iE-USA is certified by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) and strictly adheres to all U.S. Department of State Student Exchange Program regulations and guidelines.

To learn more about how you can experience and support cultural exchange in your own home, contact iE-USA representative, Joe Bissell-Maynard at j.bissell@international-experience.net, (517) 455-7518.

Karl Shallowhorn, director of community advocacy, Mental Health Association of Erie County and Compeer of Great Buffalo, will present a FREE program focused on the impact of mental health in the workplace on Tuesday, May 19th. It will take place from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at Terry Hills Restaurant & Banquet Facility, located at 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

Topics to be covered include: the financial implications of depression among employees, rick factors and proactive management. In addition, information will be provided about the importance of self-care and managing stress in a demanding work environment.

Breakfast will be served. There is no charge for this program. Space is limited -- RSVP to the Genesee County Mental Health Association at 585-344-2611 or via e-mail to    admin@mhagenesee.org

Press release:

The ninth annual David R. Millis Memorial Golf Tournament will be hosted on Sunday, June 7th, at the Batavia Country Club. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. This tournament is in memory of David Millis who passed away with pancreatic cancer at the early age of 54. Dave was the Superintendent for the Pollution Control Facility in the Village of Albion for 32 years and was an active member of the community.

The cost for a single golfer is $85, which includes, lunch, beverages and dinner. Guests not golfing are also invited to buy dinner-only tickets for $25, and the meal starts at 5:30 p.m. All participants, whether golfing or dining, will be entered into a drawing to win a TV and have the opportunity to buy 50/50 and raffle tickets. The following sponsorships are also available: Corporate, Major, Awards, Lunch Beverage, Longest or Shortest Drive, Closest to the Pin and hole sponsors. We also have several volunteer opportunities available. This tournament features, men and women’s longest drive and closest to the pin and putting contests. There are great raffle prizes, which include local sports tickets, autographed memorabilia, gift certificates and many more items.

Don’t miss your chance to win two-year lease on a 2015 Chevy vehicle and other great hole in one prizes sponsored by Don Davis Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Albion.The proceeds from the tournament will again benefit the Knights/Kaderli Memorial Fund which is a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to assisting local families with their fight against cancer. The money assists with prescriptions, medical insurance, nutritional supplements, hospital beds, and other needs. In the past eight years, this tournament has raised more than $100,600 thanks to the support and generosity of many friends, sponsors and participants.

For questions or more information please e-mail millismemorial@yahoo.com or visit us on www.facebook.com/DavidRMillisMemorial