Announcements

Yesterday's trustee election at the Richmond Memorial Library garnered 167 votes for Rosemary Surowka, who has been re-elected to the Board of Trustees.

Library Director Diana Wyrwa submitted this information to The Batavian.

Attention young readers, here's a fun way to gear up for the Summer Reading Program at Richmond Memorial Library. It is a contest to find "Richmond Reader." Here's the scoop!

Flo the Flamingo is on the loose in the city of Batavia. She is trying to find Richmond Reader and needs your help. Richmond has sent a message in a bottle that he is lost on a deserted island. Flo must find him and return him to the Richmond Memorial Library by June 28 for the beginning of the Summer Reading Program.

Each week starting May 9, Flo will check a different business or agency to see if they know where the deserted island might be located. Weekly clues to the places Flo is checking may be found on the Children’s page of the library’s website <http://www.batavialibrary.org/> or by visiting the Children’s Room. The library is located at 19 Ross St.

When you find Flo, she will have words from the message that Richmond Reader sent. A prize will be given to children each time they find Flo and record these words. A special award will be given to those that follow Flo all the way to the end of her journey.

For questions or more information, contact Kelly March, youth services library assistant, at 343-9550.

So did we come from monkeys? Or did God create us? Or both?

Are evolution and creation compatible? Did humans and dinosaurs coexist?

Is the world billions or thousands of years old?

These are some of the main topics that creation science evangelist Steve Grohman, PhD, is covering in the "Creation Seminar" at United Pentecostal Church, at 180 Oak St. in Batavia.

Grohman visits hundreds of churches and schools -- both public and private -- every year to present scientific evidence for the Creationist theory of the universe. Pastor John Hatch of United Pentecostal invited The Batavian to see him in action, and Grohman was kind enough to answer some questions in a video interview.

Yesterday was the first day of the Creation Seminar. Each session is different, and a variety of topics are covered -- including geology, fossil records, the Great Flood of Genesis, etc. The congregation welcomes anyone who would like to attend, including skeptics.

The remaining times and dates are as follows:

1 to 3 p.m. and 6:45 to 8:45 p.m., Monday, May 3

6:45 to 8:45 p.m., Tuesday, May 4

6:45 to 8:45 p.m., Wednesday, May 5

For those who are interested, here are some links to videos showing some of the various differing perspectives on the evolution/creation, religion/science debate:

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Video 4 (up to 4:40)

Video 5

Video 6

Video 7

The "Have a Heart" Chinese Auction for little Keegan Delcamp will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 1 at Batavia Downs Racetrack and Casino.

He will turn 3 in July and is tiny for his age because he is among the one in 300,000 children in the nation afflicted with Bland-Garland-White Syndrome.

It is a rare heart condition wherein the left coronary artery is not coming from the aorta, but rather from the pulmonary artery, thus mixing oxygenated blood with nonoxygenated blood. This causes his heart to work much harder than it should and subjects him to a heart attack at any time. He needs a heart transplant and is waiting for that chance.

Meanwhile, he is covered with health insurance, but the co-pays and deductibles are way more than his single mother can afford. She has one other son, also under age 5.

Please consider making a donation and/or attending the Chinese Auction for this little guy, who would enjoy going to kindergarten when he's old enough, maybe become a Webelo -- who knows, the whole world could be his Oyster with your help.

"May Day! May Day! Over?"

Genesee Community College Director of Student Activities Clifford Scutella, on left, was recently honored by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) at their International Convention in Orlando, Fla. He was among only 25 administrators, from 400 chapters in the nation honored with the Administrator of Distinction Award.

This is awarded to community college vice presidents, deans or other leaders serving a community college in an administrative capacity. Awardees have served in their position for at least two years and have demonstrated a strong level of support for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Scutella was nominated by Genesee's chapter of PTK for his commitment to the students and PTK initiatives. As a community college graduate, Scutella knows the value of Phi Theta Kappa and the work the students do.

He came to Genesee in 1989 after serving as the assistant director of Student Activities at Monroe Community College from 1978-1989. He has held the position of director of Student Activities for his entire tenure as well as serving as dean of students for a few years. He resides in Brockport.

"The students at Genesee are eager to learn outside of the classroom," Scutella said. "Through clubs, organizations and student government, the students are learning about life and developing practical life lessons.

 "...I'm lucky I get to work with amazing students, but also a very supportive administration. I work with people that understand the importance of co-curricular activities. The staff and administration know that clubs and organizations enhance the quality of life at the college and contribute to student retention."

Established in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership and service programming. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.6 to become a member.

For more information please contact the office of Student Activities at 345-6832.

(From left, chemistry instructor Rafael Alicea-Maldonado, Ph.D, named Employee of the Month, College President Stuart Steiner, and Phyllis Washburn, Student of the Month.)

Genesee Community College has named Le Roy resident Phyllis Washburn the Student of the Month for April.

She is a nontraditional student pursuing a dual degree in Criminal Justice and Business. She not only excels in the classroom, but also in service to the college community. She is a supervisor of the Student Safety Patrol (SSP) and puts in countless hours scheduling SSP members, coordinating events and leading activities. She is highly respected by her classmates, is a good listener, and provides carefully crafted commentaries in the classroom.

Washburn is originally from Rochester. She quit high school in 1971 and earned a GED in 1981. She completed a little college at that time, but didn't have time to complete a degree with four children at home and a full-time job.

Now that her youngest is also attending Genesee, she decided it was a good time to finish her degree.

"I realized it was time for me to finally get a degree in something," Washburn said. "GCC is close to home and tuition is reasonable. Once I got here, I realized this was the best place. With the smaller class sizes and the amazing teachers, I was able to achieve everything I had hoped I could."

She completed a Criminal Justice degree in December with a 3.89 GPA. She is now working on a Business Administration degree and currently holds a 4.0 GPA. She will complete that degree this coming December. Phyllis hopes to one day own her own private security company.

She has been named to the President's List every semester since her return to school. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She received the Student Safety Patrol Service Award and the Gsell Memorial Scholarship. She has also been selected for Who's Who in Universities and Colleges and she is the president of the Criminal Justice Club.

"At GCC I feel like I have a whole new family. I have been so lucky to meet and become friends with so many wonderful people here," Washburn noted. "The fact that this is a small school gives me that opportunity. I believe that the atmosphere here at GCC gives a student an extraordinary opportunity to succeed."

Phyllis is married to her husband of 38 years, Waylen C. Washburn Sr. They have five children: Jennifer Downard (Richard) of Greenfield, Ohio; Waylen C. Jr. (Candy) of Hamlin; Ryan (Dawn Kenyon) and Daniel of Le Roy; and Aaron (Elysia) of Byron. She has seven grandchildren, Steven, Richard II, and Jonathan Downard and Ashley, Trinitty, Virginia and October Washburn.

Genesee Community College has named Rafael Alicea-Maldonado, Ph.D, Employee of the Month for April.

Since joining the Genesee faculty as an instructor of Chemistry more than 10 years ago, he has contributed significantly to the college community. He earned his doctorate, recently participated in the Genesee Leadership Academy, and is currently serving on the College's Strategic Plan Committee.

Three years ago, Alicea-Maldonado became an advisor to Genesee's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK), and he has taken that responsibility very seriously. He is a positive mentor for the students of PTK, and he communicates regularly about PTK's activities and events.

Additionally, he has served on many search committees, participates in college governance, and is a vital member of the GUSTO! team. He helps plan the annual faculty retreat and has been a faculty leader in encouraging his colleagues to attend commencement.

Alicea-Maldonado is originally from Naguabo, a small city on the east coast of Puerto Rico and moved to Buffalo in 1994. He earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from University of Puerto Rico. Before coming to Genesee in 2000, he taught in Puerto Rico as well as at the University of Buffalo where he earned his doctoral degree. He currently teaches several chemistry courses for the college.

He earned the Matter-Tyler Teaching Award from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Buffalo in 1996, the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence in 2005, the Phi Theta Kappa Horizon award in 2008 and the Phi Theta Kappa Paragon award in 2009.

"My favorite part of working at Genesee Community College is the daily interaction I have with the students and my fellow faculty members," Alicea-Maldonado said.

In his spare time he enjoys traveling around the world. He has traveled to many different countries including Jordan, Egypt, Costa Rica, and most recently, he spent spring break in Spain.

The Alfred C. O'Connell Library at Genesee Community College has awarded eight student poets in its Ninth Annual Student Poetry Contest.

The eight winners include a diverse set of students, from many campus centers and from many age groups. Winners were Kiley Conklin, April Cipolla, Andrea Louis, Richard Seitz, Kelly M. Johnson, Matthew Bouwens, Sadie Popham, and Jessica Veltre, whose poem "Look at March" won First Place. It reads:

Follow the crooked tips of the trees,

Exposed and undressed, waiting for leaves.

Follow the water, not quite yet a stream,

But it trickles and traces each rock, journeying.

Gaze at the sky, it craves to be blue;

Silver still lingers, but there's hope in its hues.

Gaze at the ground, white succumbing to brown,

Green will come soon- Earth claiming its crown.

Sean Walker, a 2006 graduate of Geneseo Central School, is the winner of GCC's Student Art Show, which runs through May 2 and showcases the best works of the college's Fine Arts students.

Walker has been an artist since he was a kid, and he spent the last few years developing his talent before enrolling at GCC. His goal is to start a career in freelance art and eventually become an art director.

He specializes in realism and fantasy artwork, and is also interested in Romanticism and storytelling via illustration.

Photo submitted by Elisa DiPietro

Hey all you Cub Scouts! The Seneca District is gearing up for the big Cubmobile Derby on Saturday, May 8. It will be held in the park across from the Alexander School parking lot.

Registration for the race begins at 9 a.m. Attendees should park in the school parking lot.

All registered Tigers, Wolves, Bears and Webelos I and II are invited to participate. Cost is $3 per car (if by check, payable to BSA Seneca District). Packs and Dens can race with multiple drivers.

There will be First-, Second- and Third-place awards in each division and one overall Best of Show award.

Cubmobile design information and other specifications for racers are available on-line at the website of the Iroquois Trail Council of Boy Scouts <www.itcbsa.org>.

Call event chair Bob Spiers for more information at 591-3384.

An item in the D&C says that the office of Dr. Vladimir Gaspar, 8745 Lake Street Road, Le Roy, suffered severe water damage following a water line break over the weekend. His offices have been temporarily relocated to Lakeside Health Systems, 156, West. Ave., Brockport. For more information, call (585) 768-2620.

Community Action of Orleans & Genesee will hold its annual Community Appreciation Luncheon beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, May 17 at the American Legion Hall in Albion.

The hall is located at 131 S. Main St.

The luncheon will highlight accomplishments of Community Action as well as services provided to residents of Orleans and Genesee counties. It will also provide an opportunity to say "thank you" by recognizing individuals and organizations for their continued support and generosity.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County’s Master Gardeners will host the annual Garden Gala from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 22.

It will be held at the extension, 420 E. Main St. in Batavia. The plant sale will start promptly at 10, featuring indoor and outdoor plants, a chance auction, free soil pH testing and gardening advice by certified Master Gardeners. Refreshments will be available for a nominal fee.

Don’t miss your chance to pick up some great plants for your own garden.

For more information contact Amy Berry at 343-3040, ext. 106, stop by the office or visit online <http://www.genesee.shutterfly.com>.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley announced Monday that the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program is conducting its annual Mother’s Day Mammography Campaign.

The organization is reaching out to New York women and asking them to help raise breast cancer awareness by getting a mammogram.

“As we celebrate Mother’s Day in the coming weeks, it’s important that we still remember how adverse a breast cancer diagnosis can be to a loved one,” Hawley said. “Raising awareness about breast cancer is essential for advancing treatment and prevention in our families and community.

"Even though the medical community has made great strides in breast cancer research, to date, the most effective way to fight breast cancer is early detection. I would encourage all women to help raise awareness for this cause by getting a mammogram this Mother’s Day.”

For more information about the annual campaign and to locate an accredited mammography facility nearby, call the Adelphi New York Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program at 800-877-8077 or visit
<http://www.adelphi.edu/nysbreastcaner>.

Callers with limited income can also find out about low cost and free mammograms through the hotline.

 Tomorrow 4/26/10 6-7pm there will be an information session at 430 E Main St. Batavia (GCASA) for anyone interested in learning more about CASA for Children and how to become a volunteer CASA.  If you are interested and can't make the information session please call Tara Pariso at (585) 344-2550 ext. 2331 or email at tpariso@co.genesee.ny.us

On Friday, 19 February 2010, DAPP Children’s Town in Malambanyama, Zambia, Africa formally dedicated its new kitchen and dining area. Over eight hundred students, staff, families, and dignitaries attended the dedication. 

This effort began in early fall of 2007, when Ed Leising, a long-time member of the Batavia Rotary Club, was traveling from Buffalo to Baltimore, MD. While waiting for his flight, he met Pia Jorgensen in the lounge. She had a briefcase with a large Planet Aid Canada logo. He learned that she recently emigrated from Denmark and she was the Canadian representative for Planet Aid Canada; an organization that funds projects world-wide. The majority of the money comes from collecting then selling usable clothing. The profit from the sale of the clothing is used to fund their projects.

One of their projects; DAPP Children’s Town, located in Zambia, was in need of funding to purchase commercial kitchen equipment and update the dining area. Children’s Town is a school with about 300 students and about 30 staff from the surrounding area. Most students are local and live at home, however some are orphans, and live at the school. Before the installation of the new kitchen, the school prepared daily meals by cooking the food on two stone and concrete wood-fired pits. The plan was; utilize an existing building for the new kitchen equipment and eating area. The school had all of the electrical service and plumbing infrastructure needed for the kitchen and dining hall.

As a dedicated Rotarian, Ed was confident the Batavia Rotary Club and other Clubs in District 7090 would embrace this project. In a unique service project, the Rotary Club of Batavia, the Rotary Club of St. Catherines, Ontario, the Rotary Club of Lusaka Central, Zambia, Rotary District 7090 and the Rotary International Foundation pledged money totalling over $13,000.

All equipment has been purchased, received, and installed. Much of the work to improve the existing space has been done by the students, and staff of DAPP Children’s Town. They performed the construction and utility work that was required to convert the existing space into the new kitchen. The students and staff used the skills learned in Carpentry Training class to build all of the tables and chairs. All of the furniture was constructed of rosewood; which is indigenous to the area. One of the goals of DAPP Children’s Town is to give the students a solid background in the types of skills that can be used after graduation. Most will learn some construction related skills.

Rotary Clubs world-wide and Rotary International fund both local and international projects such as the DAPP Children’s Town project every year.   All service clubs such as Lions, Kiwanis and Rotary give generously to assist those in need all over the world. The value of service clubs cannot be under estimated. A good example is Rotary’s 25 year effort to help eradicate polio by initiating a project called Polio Plus in 1985. By 2012 Rotary will have raised more than 1.2 billion dollars to help eradicate polio.   At the beginning of Rotary’s Polio Plus project there were an estimated 350,000 cases of polio identified each year. As a result of the efforts of Rotary, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Center for Disease Control, UNISEF, the United Kingdom and Germany, now there are about 1,100 cases of polio identified each year. Polio is endemic in just four countries. Recently, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s grant of 355 million dollars and an additional 200 million from Rotary it is expected that polio will be totally eradicated some time after 2012.

From May 2-5, the Pentecostals of Genesee are inviting people to attend a Creation Seminar featuring Creation Science Evangelist Steve Grohman, who speaks hundreds of times each year at schools and churches, and via radio.

Over 350 dinosaur fossils will be on display, and Grohman, Ph.D, will explain why he believes that fossil records and other scientific data support Young Earth Creationism rather than Darwinian Evolutionism. Each session will be different.

The sessions are as follows:

10 a.m. to noon and 6 to 8 p.m., Sunday, May 2

1 to 3 p.m. and 6:45 to 8:45 p.m., Monday, May 3

6:45 to 8:45 p.m., Tuesday, May 4

6:45 to 8:45 p.m., Wednesday, May 5

The event is free, open to the public and does not require registration. For more information, please contact the Pentecostals of Genesee at 345-0925.

For more information on Steve Grohman, please visit www.creationseminar.net.