Announcements

Press release:

The Alzheimer’s Association® Western New York Chapter is offering a number of free programs and supportive services across Genesee County in March.

Chapter dementia educators will present "Effective Communication Strategies" at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, at The Manor House at 427 E. Main St. in Batavia.

This program is ideal for care partners of those living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia, as it offers verbal and nonverbal strategies for caregivers to more effectively understand and communicate. Dinner will also be served, so preregistration is required by calling 1.800.272.3900 or 716.626.0600.

Additionally, the Chapter trains facilitators to lead several monthly caregiver support groups across the county, which allow caregivers to connect with others facing similar challenges and hear advice for overcoming them:

• Third Wednesday (March 20) at 7 p.m. – Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St. in Batavia
• Third Thursday (March 21) at 1 p.m. – Genesee County Office for the Aging, 12 Bank St. in Batavia
• Second Monday (March 11) at 2 p.m. – The Greens of Le Roy, 1 West Ave. in Le Roy

Community social programs, or respites, are also available every month in Batavia and Corfu. This program provides relief to those who care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia and offers them some time to refresh and re-charge, while their loved one is engaged in social activities in a safe environment.

First Presbyterian Church of Batavia offers this free service on the fourth Monday (March 25) from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. For additional information, please call Mickey Rodak at (585) 455-5940.

Indian Falls United Methodist Church at 7908 Allegany Road offers a respite program on the third Wednesday (March 20) from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information, call Celinda McQuiston at (585) 762-9105. 

To learn more about other Alzheimer’s Association programs and services, contact the WNY Chapter office at 1.800.272.3900.

You can also access dementia care programs and resources by calling the Genesee County Office for the Aging at 585.343.1611.

Press release:

Are you interested in running for a seat on your local school board? The Genesee Valley School Boards Association (GVSBA) is holding an informational meeting for potential school board candidates at 7 p.m. on March 20.

The meeting will be held at the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, 80 Munson St. in Le Roy.

This meeting will help you understand the steps that you must take to be included in the election, and what you can expect as a board member.

The meeting will also include panel discussions, featuring Patrick Burk, executive director of the GVSBA; other panelists are a newer board of education member, a veteran member, as well as a school superintendent.

The program will be a comprehensive look at what is required to run for election, some basic education law and the roles and responsibilities of a board of education member.  

“This is an excellent way for a community member to become involved with the educational program in their home town,” Burk said.

Local school boards are comprised of five, seven or nine members, depending on the school district, and terms are either three or five years. Commitment, time and skills as well as required training and programs will also be discussed.

Refreshments will be served. Registration is required; please contact Burk or Sandra Lee James at (585) 344-7537.

Press release:

Join the Genesee County Master Gardeners this spring as we “Catch the Gardening Bug.”

We will be offering four gardening programs this spring with our first one, “Invaders amongst Our Trees,” from 6 to 8 p.m. on March 26.

Get a DEC Forester’s perspective on what invasive species are threatening our landscape trees and forests -- from Emerald Ash Borer to Oak Wilt.

We’ll also talk about some new threats on the horizon such as Mile-a-Minute Vine and Spotted Lanternfly. This program is free, but registration is required by March 22 as space is limited.

Shade gardens can offer cool relief on hot, sunny days. While flowers offer flash, plants with attractive foliage offer season-long color. If you are looking for shade loving plants other than hostas and pachysandra, join us on April 4 for “Awesome Plants for Shady Sites.”

We'll show you a variety of great plants that you can add to your shady retreat. Registration required by March 29. Cost is $10.

Learn the history of what came to be known as “Kitchen Gardens” on April 16. Find out what settlers to the New World, especially New York, planted in their kitchen gardens and why.

There will be hands on activities to help you start thinking about how you would plant your own kitchen garden. Registration required by April 12. Cost is $10.

Has your compost pile got you down? Maybe you would like to start one but you’re not sure how to. Join us on April 25, for “Fun with Compost!”

We’ll cover the basics of two composting techniques that will turn your vegetable scraps into plant food; either by the traditional method of creating a pile outdoors or by using a container of worms indoors. Registration required by April 19. Cost is $10.

All classes will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension at 420 E. Main St., Batavia.

Unless otherwise noted, the cost is $10 per person, per class. Preregistration is required as class size is limited.

Contact Brandie at 585-343-3040, ext. 101, or stop by our office to register. Visit our website at: http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/events for more information.

Press release:

The Town of Bethany Republican Committee is seeking individuals who are interested in being considered to serve on the Town of Bethany Republican Committee.

Those interested please send letter of intent to: Thomas J. Douglas, 10515 East Road, Pavilion, NY 1452

Or contact at tdgoldenrod@yahoo.com

Cell: (585) 356-0824

Press release:

The Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center’s Culinary Club will host a Pop-Up Dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 11.

The public is invited to this three-course dinner that be held in the Culinary Arts Dining Room at the Batavia CTE Center, located at 8250 State Street Road, Batavia.

Chef Tracy Burgio is the Culinary Arts Instructor at the Batavia CTE Center. She noted how events like these give student real-world experiences as the event is student driven. 

“The students have researched menu possibilities in order to plan the menu," Burgio said. "They will prepare and cook all the entrees and also serve our customers. Everyone works together as a team to create a memorable, pleasant experience for our patrons."

Tickets are $25 per person and may be purchased at the Batavia CTE Center.

Any questions may be directed to Chef Burgio at (585) 344-7795 or tburgio@gvboces.org.

About the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center

It is a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services providing shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York state.

The 72nd annual Batavia Gun and Sportsman Show will be held the weekend of March 16-17 at Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

Times are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The hotel is located at 8250 Park Road.

Admission is $5; children age 12 and under get in free when accompanied by adult.

More than 130 8-foot vendor and exhibitor tables will be chock full of items and there's plenty of free parking.

This event is sponsored by the Alabama Hunt Club, located on Lewiston Road in Alabama.

The show will feature collector, antique and investment firearms, swords and knives, Revolutionary War to World War II militaria, books, traps, pistols, gun parts, ammo and hunting accessories, black powder accessories, reloading equipment, archery, medals and more!

NOTE: All firearm laws MUST be obeyed.

Public participation is encouraged: bring items to sell or trade with dealers.

A National Instant Criminal Background Check MUST be completed prior to all firearm sales. The background check is free.

For more information, contact Dennis Davis at:   dwdavis70@gmail.com or phone (585) 798-6089.

There will be a fundraiser to help cancer patient Joe Trigilio at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 24.

Joe was recently diagnosed with brain cancer and is currently undergoing treatment at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo.

During this time, his medical expenses have grown exponentially and he could use the community's help.

Please come out and support Joe and the Trigilio Family during this very challenging time in their lives.

Each attendee's $30 donation at this benefit will include: food, draft beer, live music, and $20 in Free Play at the casino.

There will also be a Chinese auction, silent auction and 50/50 raffle.

To donate or for more information, contact: Angela at (585) 343-1129; or Mary Ellen at (716) 512-5242; or Tammy at (585) 813-4455; or Fred at (585) 356-2448.

Pictured above is "Root Man," a painting by David F. Burke of Bergen.

Bergen artist David F. Burke and fellow artist Daniel Hogan, a friend he met at Genesee Community College in 1975, will both have their paintings on display at The Little Theatre Cafe in Rochester from Feb. 23 through March 23.

The exhibit is titled "Looking at Nature Through Imagery and Abstraction."

An opening reception will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24. The cafe is inside Little Theatre 2 & 3 back complex on Winthrop Street and there's additional parking just past Hart's Grocery.

Below is an untitled painting by the artist Daniel Hogan.

Press release:

Tops Family Markets and Dole Packaged Foods LLC are excited to launch the third annual Learning Garden contest granting two elementary schools in either Upstate New York, Vermont or Northern Pennsylvania a Captain Planet Foundation Learning Garden. The contest will begin Sunday, Feb. 17 and will run until Saturday, March 16.

Tops shoppers can enter their school for a chance to win by visiting topsmarkets.comor https://captainplanetfoundation.org/contest/topsmarkets/and filling out the contest application. Two lucky schools will win a comprehensive Learning Garden complete with lesson kits filled with supplies, a schoolyard garden, fully equipped garden cooking cart, and strategies for summer garden maintenance.

The Learning Garden program provides a context for multidisciplinary learning, ranging from Nutrition and Science to Social Studies, Math, and Language Arts. Students benefit by expanding their palates, taste-testing healthy foods, and learning about food origins.

“Dole is very excited to be partnering with Tops Friendly Markets again to bring two lucky schools Learning Gardens. It is so important for children to learn about where their food comes from and develop healthy eating habits at an early age,” said Larry White, vice president -- Sales, Dole Packaged Foods. 

“So many subjects can be taught in the garden and hands-on garden learning is an excellent way to support student understanding of natural systems, food origins, and healthy eating,” said Leesa Carter, president & CEO of Captain Planet Foundation.

“Captain Planet Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that kids are armed with an understanding of the natural world in which they live, and we are thrilled to be partnering again with Tops and Dole Packaged Foods to provide two lucky schools in with Project Learning Garden.”

“Tops Friendly Markets is excited to partner with Dole and the Captain Planet Foundation for a third year. We are committed to supporting educational excellence and the hands-on garden and curriculum is an integral part of the conversation when teaching kids learn where their food comes from,” says Diane Colgan, senior VP of Marketing & Decision Support, Tops Friendly Markets. “We encourage every elementary school to consider entering for their chance at winning this great free resource.”

About Dole Packaged Foods

Dole Packaged Foods LLC, a subsidiary of Dole International Holdings, is a leader in growing, sourcing, distributing and marketing fruit, vegetables and healthy snacks throughout the world. Dole markets a full line of innovative packaged, frozen and dried fruit. The company focuses on four pillars of sustainability in all its operations: water management, carbon footprint, soil conservation and packaging. For more information, please visit dolesunshine.comor doleintlcsr.com.

About Tops Friendly Markets

Tops Markets LLC is headquartered in Williamsville and operates 159 full-service supermarkets with five additional by franchisees under the Tops banner. Tops employs over 14,000 associates and is a leading full-service grocery retailer in New York, northern Pennsylvania, and Vermont. For more information about Tops Markets, visit the company's website at www.topsmarkets.com.

About Captain Planet Foundation (CPF)

Based on the critically-acclaimed animated series "Captain Planet and the Planeteers," CPF was cofounded in 1991 by media mogul Ted Turner and producer Barbara Pyle. Since then, the Captain Planet Foundation has played a critical role in helping to ensure that the next generation of business leaders and policy makers are environmentally literate citizens who leverage technology and information to manage and protect the air, land, and water upon which all life depends. 

CPF is a grant-making foundation that has funded over 2,000 hands-on environmental education projects withschools and nonprofits that serve children in all 50 U.S. states and in 25 countries internationally. More than 1.4 million children have directly participated in and benefited from these educational projects. In addition to its Small Grants Program, the Captain Planet Foundation also operates the following programs: Project Learning Garden, Project Hero, Youth Voice, and the Institute. For more information:www.captainplanetfoundation.org.

Above is just a sampling of the nice things available for auction at St. Paul Lutheran School on Saturday. Photo courtesy of St. Paul's.

St. Paul Lutheran School is holding their annual auction on Saturday, Feb. 9th. The doors open at 3:30 p.m. and bidding begins at 4 o'clock.

The auction is to be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church and School located at 31 Washington Ave., Batavia.

Items to be auctioned are theme baskets, handmade items, craft items and certificates. There is also a bake sale. The Snack Shack will be open!

The proceeds will benefit the school's tuition fund.

Press release:

Last year, Northgate Free Methodist Church’s South Campus, called Arbor House, successfully hosted a series of "FED Talks" -- Food, Exploration, Dialogue. They are excited to announce a new series for 2019, with evenings of savory meals, exciting talks and group conversations on a series of topics that the contemporary church must address.

Speakers will give talks that challenge, entertain and inspire. Be fed twice -- in body and soul -- as we journey together in discussing how our mission to be hope in the world involves entering into areas of great tension, but also great need.

Thursday, Feb. 21st, from 6-8 p.m., Doug Cullum, vice president and dean at Northeastern Seminary, will be discussing the relationship between the LGBTQ (Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transexual/Queer) community and the church.

This event is free and open to the public.

Arbor House is located at 350 Bank St., Batavia. For more information please contact the church office at (585) 343-4011.

The Batavia Society of Artists will host its kick-off event for 2019-- a free Artist Mixer -- from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at GO ART! 

It is located in the historic Seymour Place building in Downtown Batavia, 201 E. Main St.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a piece of their artwork to display for the evening.

Enjoy some wine and cheese and talk with other artists from the area.

All levels and mediums welcome.

An Art Book Sale will be available to benefit The Batavia Society of Artists.

Dues to join the society are $30 a year for an individual; $50 for a couple; $10 for students; the drop-in fee for events, programs and demos is $5.

The Board of Directors is comprised of: Teresa Tamfer, Nicole Tamfer, Nancy Brown*, Carole LaValley, Shauna Blake*, Amy DiSalvo and Karen Crittenden. They meet on the second Tuesday of the month.

(*New Board Members)

Here's the rest of the year's lineup; all demos (except En Plein Air) are held at GO ART!:

• March 12 -- Colette Savage Demo of warm undertone painting with pastels, 7 to 9 p.m.
• April 9 -- Mike Killelea Demo of adding people and animals to finished watercolors for interest, 7 to 9 p.m.
• May 9 -- Spring Art Show Reception at Richmond Memorial Library, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• May 18 -- Saturday Sketch Out -- Genesee County Park & Forest Nature Interpretive Center in East Bethany, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• June 11 -- Linda Metcalf Hands-on Demo of encaustics, 7 to 9 p.m.
• July 9 -- Picnic at Kiwanis Park & En Plein Air Demo with Sue Meyer -- Bring a dish to pass, 6 to 9 p.m.
• Aug. 15 -- GO ART! Show Reception -- Upstairs in the Batavia Rotary Club Gallery, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Sept. 10 -- Shauna Blake Hands-on Demo of alcohol inks, 7 to 9 p.m.
• Oct. 8 -- Chris Humel Hands-on Demo of caricatures, 7 to 9 p.m.
• Nov. 12 -- Becky Maynard Demo of acrylic pour ornaments, 7 to 9 p.m.
• Dec. 5 -- Winter Art Show Reception at Richmond Memorial Library, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Dec. 10 -- Christmas Dinner Party at Dibble Family Center, $20 per person, 6 p.m. - 'til ?

Above, the Resurrection Parish team from Batavia at the 2019 Catholic Charities Appeal workshop.

Press release:

About 50 Appeal parish volunteers, clergy, and Catholic Charities’ staff attended a volunteer training workshop on Jan. 23 to help kick off the 2019 Appeal in support of Catholic Charities in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

The event was held at Batavia Country Club in preparation for the annual campaign, which carries a goal of $11 million.

During this month's training workshop, a Hero of Hope Partner Award was presented to Wyoming County Court Judge Michael Mohun. Judge Mohun was selected for his work in collaborating with area human service agencies and community organizations to find resources to help those who come before him having committed a crime to move towards a healthy, safe and law-abiding life.

In addition, former client Sarah Veazey shared how her and her daughter have benefited from counseling received from Catholic Charities.

The patron saint for the 2019 Appeal is Saint Faustina. Working under the theme “Help your neighbor find hope,” Appeal volunteers from Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties will begin reaching out to individuals and businesses in the community to encourage their support of the Appeal.

It helps fund Catholic Charities’ 70 programs and services across 61 sites in Western New York, along with a number of programs and ministries through the Fund for the Faith. 

“Funding is critically important in Catholic Charities’ efforts to continue providing programs and services to our most vulnerable neighbors across Western New York,” said John and Ruthanne Daly, 2019 Appeal general chairs.

“Achieving this year’s goal takes a significant amount of hard work and commitment by our parish volunteers, but with our collective strength and support, we can ensure that the communities of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties can continue to turn to Catholic Charities for help.”

This year’s Appeal Week will take place April 7-14 throughout the eight counties of Western New York to celebrate the support of those who have made contributions to the Appeal, and to encourage those who have not already donated to do so. Volunteers will continue to work to achieve the final goal until the conclusion of the 2019 Appeal on June 30. 

To make a donation to the 2019 Appeal or for more information contact Catholic Charities at (716) 218-1400 or go to ccwny.org.

Catholic Charities provides a range of services in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. These services include basic assistance; counseling for individuals, couples and families; Domestic Violence program for men; Our Kids: Parent Education and Awareness Program; and outreach to homebound seniors through Friendly Phones in Orleans County and Friendly Phones and Home Visitation in Genesee County.

Catholic Charities provided assistance which impacted more than 152,000 individuals, Catholics and non-Catholics alike during the past year, including nearly 3,300 individuals in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. Donors from these three counties contributed $474,408 to the 2018 Appeal.

Catholic Charities’ offices are located at:

• 25 Liberty St., Suite 7, Batavia
• 243 S. Main St., Albion
• 6470 Route 20A, Bldg. 1, Perry

About Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities has helped individuals and families in need since its founding in 1923. That need is varied and widespread – from emergency assistance to mental health counseling and treatment, and from specialized services for older adults to help with job training and education. Catholic Charities empowers children, families and seniors to achieve meaningful, healthy and productive lives. In all situations, Catholic Charities delivers support to meet immediate needs, and then assesses clients for other needs to ensure long-term success.

An excellent steward of the contributions it receives, Catholic Charities earns highest-possible ratings from Charity Navigator for transparency and sound fiscal management and is a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity. Catholic Charities also receives highest ratings from the Council on Accreditation for quality service. For more information, visit ccwny.org.

Below, John Dwyer opens the Appeal workshop with a introductory remarks. He is a trustee emeritus on the Catholic Charities Board of Trustees and has been involved with the Appeal for years.