Announcements

Press release:

The second annual Darien Lake Baseball Tournament Series scheduled for June is expected to draw more than 160 teams from across the Northeast and Canada to Genesee County. Each of the first four weekends in June will feature competition between different school-age club baseball teams at a number of local facilities.

The 10 & 11 Under teams kick off the series on June 1-2, with the 14 & Under teams scheduled for June 8-10. The series wraps up with the 12, 13, & 15 Under teams on June 15-17 and the 16 & 18 Under teams on June 22-24.
 
Tournament coordinator Neal Turvey, of Pitch 'n' Hit Events, is excited to build on last year's momentum to create an ongoing "don't miss" event for each of the teams that attend.

"This series features a variety of teams with a high level of competition at quality facilities," Turvey said. "We want each team to have a great experience and walk away already planning to attend next year. We've worked very closely with the Town of Batavia, local school districts, and parks to secure enough facilities that we are able to keep the entire event in Genesee County."
 
Tom Lichtenthal of the Town of Batavia has been instrumental in the planning process through coordinating field locations and layouts as well as connecting the dots between the tourism department of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and Pitch 'n' Hit events to ensure that local hotels and attractions are prepared to welcome the influx of visitors.
 
"We're excited to see the economic impact of this event, especially as it's grown from last year," Lichtenthal said. "Events like this are instrumental in showcasing the Town of Batavia and Genesee County as a destination for sporting events and tournaments. The Batavia hotel base and number of sporting facilities across the county make us a great place to host an event."
 
Tournament attendees will arrive in Genesee County each Friday to register and check in at Darien Lake Theme & Water Park who has signed on to sponsor the event.

"We're happy to have Darien Lake back for a second year of sponsorship," Turvey said. "They're a great fit for the event and we appreciate their continued support."
 
For more information and a full tournament schedule visit:  http://www.pitchnhitevents.com

Volunteers for Animals are pleased to announce new co-vice presidents.

Brenda Cromwell and Andre Miller will be sharing the duties, which include assisting Secretary Sylvia Dimick, fundraising, and maintaining VFA Facebook.

Appointed by Kathie Barnard, president, Rich Pearson, treasurer, and Mrs. Dimick, Andre and Brenda fill the vacant vice-president position.
 
The appointments are effective immediately and extend through general elections in November 2013.

Volunteers For Animals is collecting returnable pop/beer/water cans and bottles to help raise money for the animals.

Bring in your empties and we will return them for you. Or you can take them directly to Rob’s Bottle and Can at 214 Ellicott St. in Batavia (Hours are M-F 9-5 and Saturday 9-2) OR Eastown Beverages on East Main Street in Batavia.

In Le Roy, Le Roy Redemption Center at 8 1/2 Lake St. (Route 19) will accept empties for VFA.

Just tell them that they are for Volunteers For Animals and they will do the rest! All of the money collected from the deposits will go directly toward helping the animals at the shelter.

 

RSVP of Genesee County held its 27th Annual Recognition Event earlier this month. The following winners attended:

Gold Award Winners (500+ Hours)

Edward Corcoran -- 1,932

Donna Rhodes -- 1,239

Emerson Campbell -- 956

Diane Baker -- 826

Maureen Adams -- 803

Beverly Corcoran -- 796

Judith Ridley -- 792

Ray Luzier -- 779

William Parker -- 701

Vernon Rupert -- 605

Rita Hartrick -- 576

Silver Award Winners (250-499 Hours)

Carolyn Dain -- 449

Betty Luperino -- 430

Caroline Weber -- 414

Merrill Weber -- 404

William Haubrick -- 374

Sharon Ziomek -- 373

Anita Rynkowski -- 369

Timothy Richter -- 336

Joanne Muller -- 331

MaryAnn Silvernail -- 314

Pamela Ware -- 284

Vicki Becker -- 284

Joan Wood -- 281

Jennie Starowitz -- 280

Lucille Haubrick -- 275

Robert Eick -- 272

Anne Rupert -- 266

Bronze Award Winners (100-249 Hours)

Sylvia Traxler -- 246

Wayne Judkins -- 243

Loren Adams -- 239

Joan Fluker -- 238

Anne Barone -- 235

MaryFran Pietrzykowski -- 233

Florence Ziarko -- 233

Wallace Kornow -- 205

Kathleen Martin -- 201

Kathryn Wickson -- 190

Edna Wenhold -- 186

Jeanette DiSanto -- 185

Anita Dziekan -- 166

Allan Grehlinger -- 163

Regina Abdella -- 156

Genevieve Mahoney -- 148

Jeanne Graber -- 148

Helen Heale -- 138

Catherine Judkins -- 132

Marjorie Morse -- 129

Opal Phelps -- 128

Tina Kornow -- 128

Jane Grehlinger -- 122

Rita Sidari -- 117

Richard Neth -- 117

Agnes Redinger -- 115

Richard vonBergen -- 113

Janet Luzier -- 110

Terry Weber -- 103

Press release:

Employees at Genesee Community College once again demonstrated their generous spirit with donations that went beyond expectations during the annual United Way fund drive. Pledges from GCC employees totaled more than $20,000!

Money raised during the two-week campaign provides valuable resources the United Way of Genesee County uses to make a demonstrable difference in solving and preventing the area's most critical social problems. Donors can designate funds to a particular group or agency, or allow it to be pooled with other donations to help member agencies such as All Babies Cherished, the Salvation Army and HomeCare and Hospice provide needed programs and assistance.

Students also had a hand in the generous donation with their annual Ducky Derby. In the month of March, the students' poolside fundraiser collected more than $2,000 by selling numbered rubber ducks that were placed in GCC's pool for a special "race" via a current created by members of the college's swim team, which helped bring the total raised by GCC to $20,102.

To learn more about the United Way of Genesee, visit: http://www.uwgeneseecounty.org/

Press release:

The YWCA of Genesee County and Porter Farms are partnering to bring locally grown certified-organic produce to the community.

Anyone can buy a membership through the YWCA for the Community-Supported Agriculture Community Outreach Program. The cost is $330 per membership, and the cost and the produce can be split among families. The cost amounts to less than $1.60 per pound of produce.

Members receive 22 weeks of fresh, organic produce through the growing season. Produce distribution begins in late June and runs through the end of November.

The pick-up site is the YWCA building at 301 North St. in the City of Batavia from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sundays.

For every 15 new memberships signed up through the YWCA, Porter Farms will donate one membership to a family in need.

For more information or to sign up, call the YWCA at 343-5808 or provide your name and phone number to the Y via email at <YWCA_of_Genesee_County_Inc@mail.vresp.com>

The Batavia Cemetery Association, in conjunction with the Genesee County History Department, will host a guided ghost walk through the Historic Batavia Cemetery on Harvester Avenue from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 2.

The tours will feature some of the finest ladies who ever graced the community.

Guests will meet the late, great women of Batavia who, for various reasons, held great power and exerted great influence in their day. Mary Richmond and Rachel Ellicott Evans, among others, will tell the stories of their interesting lives and very powerful families. Lucinda Morgan may finally tell what happened to her husband, William Morgan, after he threatened to reveal Masonic secrets. And there may be a guest appearance by a ghost who knows many secrets of the powerful men of Batavia.

Tours begin at 2 p.m. and run every 15 minutes until 4 p.m. Admission is $10 and includes iced tea and cookies. Tickets are available at the cemetery gate the day of the event.

Proceeds benefit the upkeep and restoration of the cemetery. For more information, contact the Genesee County History Department at 344-2550, ext. 2613.

A Special Extra Event: Readings from "Indigo Insight" by Frank R. Lord, registered psychic, clairvoyant, medium and spiritual advisor. Get closure on your past, present and future situations. $5 for 5 minutes/$10 for 10 minutes.

Rain date is to 2 to 4 p.m., Saturday, June 23.

Press release:

The Class-A Short-Season New York-Penn League and its member clubs have announced that the league’s philanthropic arm, the NYPL Charitable Foundation, will once again award more than $10,000 in scholarships this summer to deserving high school graduates from the league’s 14 markets.

The 2012 NYPL Scholarship Program is open to any graduating senior from a public or private high school within the league’s footprint, who has been accepted at any two- or four-year college or university, vocational or technical education institution. Applicants will be judged based on academic performance, volunteer and extracurricular activities, and the impact their local NYPL club and Minor League Baseball has had on their lives.

The Scholarship Program will consist of two stages – a local round and a divisional round. In the local stage, students will apply directly with their local NYPL team, with one applicant chosen by each of the 14 teams to advance to the divisional round. The 14 finalists will be separated by the division of the team they represent. The winning application from each of the NYPL’s three divisions (McNamara, Pinckney and Stedler) will receive the top prize of a $2,500 scholarship. All other finalists will receive a $250 book award.

“The New York-Penn League Charitable Foundation initiated the scholarship program in 2009 as a way to assist high school seniors from within our league’s footprint who not only meet and exceed traditional scholarship criteria, but have also demonstrated the positive benefits their local NYPL club has had on their life,” said Ben J. Hayes, president of the New York-Penn League. “The Foundation is pleased to have this scholarship program in place and to support our 14 member clubs in their year-round community outreach efforts.”

Applications are available by contacting your local New-York Penn League club or by visiting the official NYPL Web site, www.newyork-pennleague.com

The deadline to submit the application to your local NYPL team is June 22 and each team’s winner, including the three $2,500 scholarship recipients, will be selected in late July and honored at a game in August.   
 
The New York-Penn League and its 14 member clubs created the New York-Penn League Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, in 2003. The mission of the foundation is to provide focus and support for the collective and individual charitable and community efforts of the New York-Penn League, its clubs, and their staff.

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra has scheduled its annual meeting for 6 p.m., Wednesday, June 13, at Bohn's Restaurant, 5256 Clinton St. Road, in the Town of Batavia.

Dinner will be pre-selected options from Bohn's menu.

All patrons, board members, orchestra members and season subscribers are welcome.

If you are interested, contact Ken Pike at 355-0987;  by mail -- 4 Lincoln Ave., Batavia, NY 14020, or e-mail eweoffice@aol.com

Community Action of Orleans & Genesee announced that the next surplus food distribution event begins at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 6, at the Kennedy Building at the county fairgrounds. It is located at 5056 E. Main St. Road in the Town of Batavia.

Distribution will take place until the food runs out but no later than 3 p.m. You may pick up food for someone else with a signed permission slip.

For questions, please call 343-7798, ext. 116.

Everyone is required to bring:

• Proof of residency in the form of a water, gas, electric or telephone bill;
• Some form of personal identification;
• Proof of income, which can be any ONE of the following -- SSI Grant Award letter, SSD Award letter, SSA End of the Year letter, HEAP Grant Award letter, WIC card, DSS budget sheet, most recent income tax return.

The following annual income guidelines apply.

Family Size/Annual Income Limit

1 --- $20,036

2 --- $26,955

3 --- $33,874

4 --- $40,793

5 --- $47,712

6 --- $54,631

7 --- $61,550

8 --- $68,469

(*** For each additional person add $6,919 to annual income limit.)

Press release:

The Genesee Community College Board of Trustees promoted 16 members of the faculty on May 14 in recognition of their teaching and scholarly accomplishments.

Promoted to the rank of Professor from Associate Professor effective with the new academic year were Jeannie L. Burdick, of Corfu, counselor; and Rebecca L. Dziekan, of Pavilion, Health and Physical Education.

Promoted to the rank of associate professor from assistant professor were Elise C. Banfield, of Rochester, Psychology; Maureen E. Dugan, of Penfield, Fine Arts and Ceramics; Ruth A. Gliss, of Akron, Nursing; and Lauren K. Paisley of Middleport, Business.

Promoted to the rank of assistant professor from instructor were Shawn P. Adamson, of Batavia, English; Valerie C. Bello, of Lancaster, Communications and Media Arts; Christopher D. Caputi, of Tonawanda, Physical Therapist Assistant; Kathleen T. Gurak, of Groveland, Health and Physical Education; Heather S. Jones, of Conesus, Fine Arts; Josephine B. Kearney, of Lockport, Sociology and Human Services; Amy J. Schnettler-Zak, of Alden, Nursing; Charles L. Scruggs, of Geneseo, History; Catherine C. Wall, of Hilton, Nursing; and Karen K. Wicka, of Hamburg, Criminal Justice.

Press release:

For the past four years Yorkshire Hall, on Route 5 in Pembroke, has offered its popular "Tea Tasting Show" -- a combination of high tea, farcical comedy, and "delicious teatime foods" to bus tour companies and large groups.  The George Walker family, operators of Yorkshire Hall, would frequently receive inquiries from local individuals who wanted to attend.  Unfortunately," Walker explained, "it's not feasible to do the show for fewer than 25 guests.  That's why we're very excited to have a last minute opportunity for local tea and entertainment aficionados to see this show."

Walked said that a bus tour group attending Yorkshire Hall's Tea Tasting Show this Saturday has ended up with smaller than expected numbers, "and this means we can open the doors to local individuals or small groups who have always wanted to see this show."  The show, which beings at 2:30 p.m. and provides three separate tea services with special treats accompanying each tea, also includes comedy, songs, and a surprise gift for each guest at the end of the show.  Yorkshire Hall also contains a "Tea Treasures Table" of specialty teas and tea related gifts, which is only open during shows.

"We know this is very 'last minute,'" said Walker, "but we wanted to get the word out that local people who have begging for a chance to see this show have a unique opportunity on Saturday.  Reservations are required and information about the show is available by clicking on the "Tea Tasting" tab at www.HolidayHollow.com, or by calling Yorkshire Hall at 716-474-4300.

Press release:

With steamy, summer-like weather in the Western New York forecast, this coming weekend will be perfect for cooling off in more than 1 million gallons of water at Darien Lake.

SplashTown, a 10-acre water park free with the price of park admission, opens for the exciting 2012 season on Friday, May 18. Best of all, guests can have extended fun in the water park and the entire park, as Darien Lake celebrates its second weekend of the season with a long weekend, open from Friday through Monday, May 21.

Darien Lake’s water park boasts more than 1 million gallons of water and slides, tube rides, twists and turns for everyone, from Big Kahuna, an extreme tubing experience on a four-person raft, to Cannon Ball Run’s high-speed drop and 160-foot plunge. Crocodile Isle is a 750,000 gallon wave pool, where guests can fight the waves, take a dip or soak up the sun, while Flotation Station offers a relaxing float down the 16-foot-wide lazy river. More details about the water park are available online at www.DarienLake.com.

“Our opening weekend was spectacular, as guests came to see and experience our new attractions and upgrades,” said Bob Montgomery, general manager at Darien Lake. “This weekend will be an even bigger splash, with summer weather in the forecast, SplashTown opening for the season, and the park being open for a fun-filled, four-day weekend!”

SplashTown will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the season on park operating days. Darien Lake’s operating schedule is primarily weekends and holidays throughout May and June, with full-season daily operation beginning June 15.

June 9th from 3:00 P.M. to Dusk at the Pembroke Town Park, 8799 Alleghany Rd, Corfu, NY. Pre-sale chicken BBQ $8.00 please call Town Clerk at 585-599-4892 ext. 21 or Gert Swiatowy at 585-599-3583. Hamburgers and Hot Dogs will also be sold. War of 1812 demonstrations, Music by Pembroke Community Band, Youth in Harmony, Craig Wilkins & High Point Church Band. Fire Works at dusk! Bring your lawn chair or blanket.

The Stafford Garden Club will hold its annual plant auction beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16, at the Stafford Town Hall. It is located at 8903 Route 237 in Stafford. All are welcome.

 

Press release:

The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council is delighted to host the Ninth Annual Genesee-Orleans Student Art Show, featuring works by more than 68 students from eight different Genesee and Orleans county schools distributed among three GO ART! galleries.

Accomplished artists from both counties volunteered their time as judges for the Student Art Show again this year, and these are the winners from Genesee County:

Genesee County

• 1st Place: Tayler Mitchell (“Like a Boss”) -- 10th grade, Batavia High School
• 2nd Place: Tessa Lynn (“Wolf”) - 8th grade -- Batavia Middle School
• 3rd Place: Brendan O’Shea (“Hope”) -- 11th grade, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School

Honorable Mention: Megan Jacques (“Car Crash”) -- 12th grade, Batavia High School
Honorable Mention: Joe Babcock (“Locked Up”) -- 11th grade, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School
Honorable Mention: Payton Conley (“Altered Book”) -- 12th grade, Batavia High School

Exhibits of all students' artwork are on display now through Friday, June 1. Gallery hours vary, per the listings below.

Genesee County students with work on display are:
 
GO ART! Bank of Castile Main Gallery, Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St., Batavia – Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and by appointment.
 
Amanda Norway, grade 10, Elba Central School, “Self Portrait,” collage
Kelsey Bezon, grade 10, Elba Central School, “Still Life,” pencil
Clare Fraser, grade 7, Byron-Bergen Middle School, “John Lennon,” colored pencil
Mandy Morrow, grade 12, Elba Central School, “Still Life,” pencil
Victoria Snyder, grade 11, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Self Portrait,” acrylic
Tyra Smith, grade 10, Elba Central School, “Fish,” colored pencil/ink
Kayla Casper, grade 10, Elba Central School, “Junk Food Lunch,” colored pencil
Olivia Audsley, grade 7, Byron-Bergen Middle School, “Taylor Swift,” colored pencil
Jacob Chapman, grade 10, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Untitled,” white charcoal pencil on black charcoal paper
Cassandra Swanson, grade 12, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Drum Set,” pencil and colored pencil on white paper
Cassie Williams, grade 11, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Wicked,” graphite and colored pencil on white paper
Megan Amico, grade 12, Byron-Bergen High School, “The Final Frontier,” acrylic
Meghan Kogut, grade 7, Elba Central School, “Horse,” scratchboard
Michaela Kenward, grade 9, Byron-Bergen High School, “Untitled,” watercolor
Brandon Burke, grade 7, Byron-Bergen Middle School, “Steve Jobs,” colored pencil
Brittney Okoniewski, grade 12, Byron-Bergen High School, “Untitled,” oil pastel and mirrors on board
Samantha Sobszak, grade 12, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Masked,” acrylic paint on stretched canvas
Magen Peters, grade 11, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Dylan,” color pinhole photo taken with handmade camera
Kayla Wormuth, grade 9, Elba Central School, “Warhol Print,” linoleum block
Kassandra Shaver, grade 12, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Ice Cream,” colored pencil on illustration board
Amanda Castaneda, age 7, Elba Central School, “Perspective Spheres,” colored pencil
Cydney Teeter, age 7, Elba Central School, “Portrait Value Study,” tempera
Sydney Gallup, grade 12, Elba Central School, “Pepper Study,” pen and ink
Enrique Coleman, grade 11, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Untitled,” white charcoal pencil on black charcoal paper
Haley Brown, grade 9, Elba Central School, “Self Portrait,” collage
Brendan O’Shea (3rd Place), grade 11, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Hope,” Digital print
Joe Babcock (Hon. Mention), grade 11, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Locked Up,” mixed media
Kristen Bailey, grade 10, Byron-Bergen High School, “Life,” mixed media
Amanda Norway, grade 10, Elba Central School, “Pointillist Seascape,” acrylic
Sherena Majors, grade 12, Batavia High School, “Contradiction,” cardboard, mirror, paint, paper
Payton Conley (Hon. Mention), grade 12, Batavia High School, “Altered Book,” mixed media
Austin Blaszak, grade 10, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Untitled,” glazed porcelain and wood
Carley Sformo, grade 9, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, “Untitled,” glazed porcelain and wire
 
GO ART! Batavia Satellite Gallery, Genesee County Senior Center, 2 Bank St., Batavia – Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.
 
Brittney Okoniewski, grade 12, Batavia High School, “Still Life on Altered Surface,” mixed media
Jamie Legg, grade 11, Batavia High School, “Still Life of Bottles on Altered Surface,” mixed media
Missy Fite, grade 12, Batavia High School, “Hand Drawing,” pencil
Katie Clark, grade 12, Batavia High School, “Mozart,” Collage, paint, pen
Megan Jacques (Hon. Mention), grade 12, Batavia High School, “Car Crash,” charcoal
Breanna Clark, grade 10, Batavia High School, “Alone (Japanese writing in sky),” acrylic paint
Tessa Lynn (2nd Place), age 8, Batavia Middle School, “Wolf,” colored pencil
Tayler Mitchell (1st Place), grade 10, Batavia High School, “Like a Boss,” printmaking/colored pencil
Garrett Bluhm, grade 10, Batavia High School, “Symbolic Self-Portrait,” pencil, colored pencil
Nate Ernst, grade 10, Batavia High School, “Still Life on Altered Surface,” cardboard/paint/charcoal
Desiree Janiga, grade 12, Batavia High School, “Symbolic Self-portrait,” colored pencil
Megan Jacques, grade 12, Batavia High School, “Nev,” colored pencil, charcoal, ebony, ink
 
Congratulations to all who participated, and thank you to our volunteer judges: Cheryl McCampbell and Kevin Hammon in Genesee County, and Howard (Tony) Barry and Connie Mosher in Orleans County.

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

Press release:

Arbor Day was celebrated on April 27 this year and 69 fourth-graders at Oakfield-Alabama Elementary School rolled up their sleeves and planted a tree. The students became members of the Fourth Grade Foresters.

The project’s goal is to help revitalize a remarkable idea: observation of Arbor Day in America’s Schools. Each Student receives a tree to take home and plant.

“This project was made possible by the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club which covered the cost of each individually packaged evergreen tree, so that there would be no cost to the students, the teachers, the school or the taxpayers," said Debra Ersch, co-founder of the Fourth Grade Foresters Project. “It’s a wonderful way to show support for the community, education and the environment."

Fourth Grade Foresters USA was created to provide a simple and inexpensive way for any individual, business or organization to send the fourth-grade students at an elementary school home with a tree of their own to plant and care for. Each Student receives an individually packaged 12”-18” evergreen tree seedling packaged by workers with disabilities.

Lions Clubs from around the world have been committed to protecting the environment for several decades and they understand that every small effort makes a big difference. That is why the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club is doing its part to reach Lions International’s goal of planting a million trees.

The Friends of the Richmond Memorial Library will hold a Members Only Preview Sale for books from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6, in the Wilber Room of the library at 19 Ross St., Batavia.

Friends must show their membership card at the door. Those who aren't members may attend by either purchasing a Friends membership at the door or beforehand at the library circulation desk.

The quarterly drawing will be announced at the Members Only Sale, and the winner will receive a $25 gift certificate for Delavan's Restaurant.