Announcements

East Bethany – Enjoy the view of a dark night sky and get to know the summer’s constellations with Night Sky Tour and Stargazing at the Genesee County Park and Forest from 9 to 11 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9th.

Learn all about the Perseid meteor shower and other astronomical phenomenon and the folklore behind them!

Meet us at the Interpretive Nature Center for an outdoor presentation and guided tour of the night sky.

Bring a blanket or a chair for your spot in a meadow far away from city lights. This program will take place entirely outdoors.

If rain or cloudy skies threaten our view we will reschedule to Friday, Aug. 16th. Cost is $5/person, $10/family. Preregistration is required, call 585-344-1122 to reserve your spot.

For more information visit our website at http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/parks/, or contact Kayla Edmunds at park.americorps@co.genesee.ny.us or (585) 344-1122.

Genesee County Park & Forest Nature Interpretive Center is located at 11095 Bethany Center Road, East Bethany.

Community Action of Orleans & Genesee will host the sixth annual Community Action Angels Children's Carnival on Friday, Aug. 16, in Lambert Park in Batavia.

Time is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There will be games, prizes, hot dogs and beverages.

Game tickets are five for $1.

Two bicycles will be raffled off, too, courtesy of Fidelis Care. Be there to win.

No rain date.

Lambert Park is located 100 Verona Ave. in the city.

Thanks to all participating agencies and businesses for their continued help and support.

Special thanks to carnival sponsors Fidelis Care, the YMCA, and Care A Van Ministries.

For more information, call 343-7798.

Submitted photo and press release:

On Saturday, July 20^th, Valu Home Center will host a Community Day at the Valu Plaza location, 4152 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

Friends of the Batavia Peace Garden will be on hand to sell hot dogs from noon to 4 p.m.

Representatives from EMS Mercy Ambulance will be present along with members of the Batavia City Fire Department. The Fire Department will be on hand to provide child car seat checks and to correctly install your car seats.

“This is our opportunity to give back to the community," said store Manager Paul MacEwan. "This will become an annual event and hopefully will grow larger in years to come.” 

We look forward to having the community join in and meet our staff.

Above, some of the options for composting containers are shown above, from left a Rubbermaid composter, a garage can composter, and a red worm composter.​

East Bethany – The GLOW Region Solid Waste Management Committee and Genesee County Parks are proud to announce the rehab of the Backyard Composting Demonstration Site at Genesee County Park and Forest!

The site is made up of a variety of homemade and manufactured composters of various shapes and sizes, along with the printed information for each type of composter. Visitors can see for themselves the types of composters available and decide which composter might work best for them.

Backyard composting has been a focus of GLOW’s since its formation in 1987. It has been estimated that up to 30 percent of residential waste is organic material. This includes leaves, brush, tree limbs, and kitchen scraps.

Backyard composting can significantly reduce reliance on landfilling and incineration by taking these organics out of the waste stream.

Composting speeds up the natural decomposition process by creating a perfect environment for the microorganisms that do the composting. This ideal environment is one that is warm, with plenty of nutrients, moisture, and oxygen. Finished compost (humus) puts nutrients back into the soil and aids in the retention of moisture in soil.

The compost demonstration site was initially built in 1994. When the Interpretive Nature Center was completed in 1997, the compost site was moved behind the center.

In 2000 a complete reconstruction and relocation of the site (to the front of the building) was completed, which features a kiosk area and walkway made of pavers.

The 2019 revamping of the site features new signage, a "take one" box containing GLOW’s four panel composting brochure, and a rearrangement of the composters.

Paul Osborn, Deputy Highway superintendent, sums up the benefits of the composting demonstration site.

“The opportunity for the park visitors to see and touch the various types of composters fits right into our goal of experiential learning and environmental education at the Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center," Osborn said.

"Composting puts nutrients back into soils and provides beneficial food for plants and insects. We are excited to have been a part of providing a new makeover to the compost siteand the continued partnership with GLOW Solid Waste!”

To find out more about the GLOW RegionSolid Waste Committee, contact the GLOW office at 800/836-1154, 344-2580, ext. 5463, or emailglow@co.genesee.ny.us.

You may also visit their website at https://www.glowsolidwaste.org/.

To learn how to compost at home, visit the Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center or the GLOW website at https://www.glowsolidwaste.org/.

For more information visit our website at http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/parks/, or contact Shannon Lyaski at Shannon.Lyaski@co.genesee.ny.us or (585) 344-1122.

Below, Backyard Composting Demonstration Site, showing the cycle of composting and different methods of at-home composting.

Press release:

2019 Genesee County Fair 4-H Schedule

Remember to visit 4-H at the fair! The Genesee County Fair will be held July 13-20 at the Genesee County Fairgrounds, 5056 E. Main Street Road, in Batavia.

For more information about the Genesee County Fair, click here. 

2019 Genesee County Fair 4-H Schedule

Saturday, July 13th 

4 p.m.                 4-H Poultry Show (Merton Building)

6 p.m.                 4-H Livestock Costume Contest (Main Show Ring)

Sunday, July 14th 

10 a.m.               4-H Beef Show (Main Show Ring)

4 p.m.                 4-H Rabbit Show (Merton Building)

Monday, July 15th 

9 a.m.                 4-H Market Auction Goat Show (Main Show Ring)

10 a.m.               4-H Cloverbud Poultry Show (Merton Building)

10 a.m.               4-H Dairy Cattle Fitting Clinic & Master Fitter Competition (4-H Dairy Barn)

10:30 a.m.          4-H Goat Agility Contest (Goat Barn Show Ring)

10:30 a.m.          4-H Market Auction Lamb Show (Main Show Ring)

4 p.m.                 4-H Market Auction Dairy Steer Show (Main Show Ring)

5 p.m.                 4-H Market Auction Beef Steer Show (Main Show Ring)

Tuesday, July 16th

10 a.m.               4-H Cloverbud Rabbit Show (Merton Building)

11 a.m.               4-H Dairy & Meat Goat Show (Main Show Ring)

1 p.m.                 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest (4-H Dairy Barn)

4 p.m.                 4-H Energy Bike Pedal Power Activity (Kennedy Building)

5 p.m.                 4-H Market Auction Hog Show (Main Show Ring)

7 p.m.                 Fair Barn Dance (Open Dairy Barn)

Wednesday, July 17th 

9 a.m.                 4-H Hog Show (Main Show Ring)

12 p.m.               4-H Sheep Show (Main Show Ring)

3 p.m.                 4-H Geocache Challenge (Kennedy Building)

6:30 p.m.            Fair Parade

Thursday, July 18th 

9 a.m.                 4-H Dairy Cattle Show (Main Show Ring)

9 a.m.                 4-H Horse Show – Western Division (Horse Arena)

6:45 p.m.            4-H Market Animal Auction Awards Ceremony (Main Show Ring)

7 p.m.                 4-H Market Animal Auction Sale Begins (Main Show Ring)

Friday, July 19th 

9 a.m.                 4-H Horse Show – English & Dressage Division (Horse Arena)

9 a.m.                 4-H Beef Team Fitting Competition (Main Show Ring)

12 p.m.               4-H Livestock Master Showman Contest (Main Show Ring)

1 p.m.                 4-H Dairy Club Butter Making Activity (Kennedy Building)

5:30 p.m.            4-H Tractor Driving Contest

Saturday, July 20th 

9 a.m.                 4-H Horse Show – Gymkhana Division (Horse Arena)

2 p.m.                 4-H Creative Soil Painting Activity (Kennedy Building)

4 p.m.                 4-H Market Auction Master Showman Contest (Main Show Ring)

The complete daily schedule of the Genesee County Fair is available here.

Press release:

If you have Medicaid-funded personal care or home health services, you may have heard that the Federal 21st Century Cures Act of 2016 requires Electronic Visit Verification (EVV), in the interest of fraud prevention.

As you will probably have questions, the State Department of Health has set up New York State Listening Sessions on Electronic Visit Verification this month. 

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR), is accommodating those of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties by covering the Listening Session, from 6 to 9 p.m., on Thursday, July 11, at the ILGR office in the Crickler Executive Center, in the Douglas J. Usiak Multipurpose Room, 319 W. Main St., Batavia.

Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to Pat McAllister, by calling (585) 815-8501, ext. 402, or emailing pmcallister@wnyil.org. 

All who use Consumer-Directed Personal Assistance Services (CDPAS) and Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) are encouraged to attend this FREE event and give their input on changes that could affect their privacy and rights to personal choice.

Press release:

The City of Batavia’s Youth Bureau is open at 12 MacArthur Drive through Aug. 16^th, Monday through Friday from 1 – 6 p.m.

The Youth Center is a free service available to youth ages 10-18 who reside in Batavia.]

Free nutritious lunches are available to all participants now through Aug. 9 during a designated time daily. Snacks are also provided daily.

The Youth Center offers outside activities, computer use, crafts, games, Wednesday movie days, and monthly scheduled events. Registration is simple, just stop in!

Upcoming events at the Youth Center include:

• Every Wednesday is movie day, popcorn included;
• Today is the July 5^th summer cookout;
• July 8^th -- video game tournament;
• July 12^th Jell-O Day complete with Jell-O races (safe for all ages);
• July 16^th National Mac and Cheese Day;
• July 18^th make your own hotdog pretzels;
• July 22^nd National Ice Cream Day;
• July 23^rd Bingo;
• July 29^th National Chicken Wing Day with wing dip!;
• July 31^st Harry Potter Day.

The Summer Safe Carnival is July 25^th starting at 10 a.m. at the Falleti Ice Rink. Guaranteed fun for all ages. Any questions, call the Batavia Youth Bureau at 345-6420.

By Frances McNulty, committee member Richmond Reads

Do you remember the former Tale for Three Counties community reading project? The program was extremely popular and after its conclusion in 2016 readers and library patrons expressed their disappointment and often asked whether it might revive sometime in the future.

Although not as far-reaching as the Tale project, the new Richmond Reads community reading project, hosted by Richmond Memorial Library, hopes to satisfy those requests.  

Readers are encouraged to read the featured book, "Southernmost" by Silas House, and after doing so to write and submit their review of the book.

Details of the review contest are available below and on the Library’s website and include suggestions of what to consider when preparing your review and comments.

One does not need to be a professional or creative writer to participate.

The suggestions provided should prove helpful for composing your review. Reviews will be judged anonymously by the Richmond Reads Committee, using the criteria of creativity, originality, and writing quality.

The reading project will include several opportunities for folks to join in discussions about the book. If you have never participated in a group book discussion, and choose to do so, you may be pleasantly surprised and find it to be a very satisfying and socially enjoyable experience.

There will be an occasion to hear the author during his visit and talk about the book.  

But consider the benefit of winning the review contest. Four winners, who are anonymous to the selection committee members, will be invited to a special event to meet the author one-on-one.

This is a wonderful chance to have a firsthand encounter, ask questions, and have a book signed. It will provide an unforgettable memory.

I know, because I was fortunate to have had such an opportunity in the past, and can attest to its worthiness. I encourage readers to consider reading the book, to participate in the programs, and submit a review. 

How to enter:

1. Read "Southernmost" by Silas House. Copies are available on audio, regular print, large print, and as and e-book and audiobook on Hoopla and OverDrive. Copies of the book are also available for purchase at the library compliments of Lift Bridge Bookstore in Brockport.
2. Write a review of the book in 200 words or fewer. Instead of simply summarizing the book, consider the following as you write your review:

How did this book impact you? Were you able to relate to any characters or situations?

What were the most significant moments in the plot?

What truths do you think were expressed through the ending?

How does the setting affect the story?

1. Submit your review by 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9. Reviews can be submitted at the library, via our online form at batavialibrary.org or mailed to: Richmond Reads Review Contest c/o Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., Batavia NY 14020

Contest rules:

• Reviews must be received by 5 p.m. Sept. 9. This is a firm deadline and postmarks cannot be considered.
• Review forms are available at the library or on our website batavialibray.org/richmond-reads. If not using a form, include your full name, town in which you reside and telephone number. Reviews will not be considered for selection without this information.
• Reviews must be written legibly or typewritten if possible.
• Reviews will be judged anonymously by the Richmond Reads committee. 
• Winners will be announced on Sept. 12.
• Any reviews submitted may be shared for marketing purposes by Richmond Memorial Library via printed materials, on our website and through social media.

 Richmond Reads is a program of Richmond Memorial Library. The program is sponsored by The Friends of the Library and through a grant from GO ART!

Richmond Memorial Library continually provides access to physical and virtual resources and services that meet the educational, informational and recreational needs of its diverse community in a safe and comfortable environment.

Learn more at www.batavialibrary.org

Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross St. in the City of Batavia.

This project was made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!

Renee Chapell with the RaSPy poster. Photo by Alexandria Tarbell, 4-H ACES Club Photographer.

By Renee Chapell – Genesee County 4H ACES Club:

Press release:

Batavia’s premier consumer-run human service and advocacy agency for people with disabilities, Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR), will hold an ADA Picnic to celebrate the 29^th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Open to the general public, and offering FREE food, fun, and games, the event will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday, July 26, at Kiwanis Park, 3808 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

Contributing to the fun will be the University Heights Art Association (UHAA), which regularly partners with ILGR on the ARTiculations Ability Exhibition in the Independent Living reception area.

Artists with disabilities are given the opportunity to display and sell their artwork at the Center. UHAA will bring projects and materials that will enable picnickers to creatively celebrate the birthday of the ADA. 

To ensure that we have enough food and materials for the fun, if you plan to attend, please R.S.V.P. to Donna Becker at (585) 815-8501, ext. 411.

At the time the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed in 1990, a patchwork of laws existed to protect the civil rights of citizens with disabilities only in certain situations, such as access to airports, fairness in housing, and non-discrimination by federally funded institutions.

The ADA broadly bars disability-based discrimination in employment, telecommunications, by state and local governments, in places of public accommodation such as stores, restaurants, banks, theaters, hotels, and stadia, among other protections.

This has made it the single most important body of law for a particular population, the disability community, since the protections for racial and ethnic minorities and women of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which inspired some of the ADA’s provisions.

We look forward to having you celebrate with us, but please remember to R.S.V.P.!

From Young Audiences of WNY:

Arts Partners for Learning (APL) is pleased to announce that Western New York schools are eligible to apply for APL creative learning programs, which will occur between September and June 2020.

Programs include performances, workshops, residencies, and field trips with cultural organizations that make use of the arts as a text to achieve Common Core State Standard benchmarks at any grade level.

Eligible schools must be located in one of the eight counties of Western New York, including Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming.

Up to 90 percent of residency program costs will be covered for selected schools thanks to funding from Fund for the Arts.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with priority given to early applicants.

Applications can be found here.

To learn more about APL, click here.

Press release:

Girl Scouts of Western New York invites the community to attend its FREE Daisy for a Day events! Girl Scouts is a year-round experience. Girl Scouts develop a strong sense of self, display positive values, seek challenges, and solve problems in their communities.

Girls entering kindergarten and first grade in the fall and their families will discover what it means to be a Girl Scout, how to get involved, and enjoy fun activities from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 29^th.

In Genesee County, the Daisy for a Day event will take place at the Dibble Family Center, located at 4120 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

RSVP at gswny.org or call 1.888.837.6410.

Girl Scouts takes the potential of girls, combines it with robust skill-building programming, and adds caring adult mentors and strong female role models. From building robots, rock climbing at camp, running a cookie business, to service projects at local food banks and animal shelters, a Girl Scout has an exciting array of choices to suit her interests at every age. 

At Girl Scouts, girls get to lead their own adventure and team up with other girls in an all-girl environment to choose the exciting, hands-on activities that interest them most in important skill areas like Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), Outdoors, Life Skills, and Entrepreneurship. While a girl may be exposed to these subjects at school and in other places, at Girl Scouts she will experience them in a unique way that puts her on a path to a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. 

About Girl Scouts of Western New York

Girl Scouts of Western New York (GSWNY) serves nearly 15,000 girls and 7,000 adult volunteers across the GSWNY jurisdiction, including Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties. The council’s administrative service centers are located in Batavia, Buffalo, Jamestown, Lockport, Niagara Falls, and Rochester.

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. Through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, girls discover their personal best and prepare for a positive future, connect with others in an increasingly diverse world and take action to solve problems and improve their communities.

Press release:

Richmond Memorial Library will kick off its summer reading programs for adults and youth on June 24! This year’s theme is “A Universe of Stories” and our programming will highlight outer space, inspired by the 50^th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing.

We are excited to offer programs for adults, children and the whole family through August!

The library is excited to kick off summer reading in partnership with the Batavia Concert Band.

On Monday, June 24, conductor John Bailey will share a preview of the band’s season at 7 p.m. at Richmond Memorial Library. On Wednesday, June 26, the Batavia Concert Band will kick off its 94^thseason with “Sounds from A Universe of Stories,” at 7 p.m. at Centennial Park (or GCC’s Stuart Steiner Theatre in case of rain). For more info about the band, visit bataviaconcertband.net.

Adult Summer Reading - BINGO!

Back by popular demand, Summer Reading BINGO will return for adults from June 24-Aug. 17. The program will feature a BINGO board full of reading and library challenges. Participants will get a weekly prize entry for each square they get stamped and a grand prize entry for each BINGO (five completed squares).

This year’s grand prizes include a chance to attend an Afternoon Tea with the Richmond Reads author Silas House, as well as a Book Lover’s basket! Our seven weekly prizes will include gift cards to local businesses and there will be prizes for participation as well.

As a bonus, the first 20 participants to register will receive a paperback copy of "Southernmost" by Silas House, the Richmond Reads selection for 2019. All prizes are made possible courtesy of the Friends of Richmond Memorial Library.

BINGO square challenges include everything from attending a library program to watching a documentary to reading a book with “sun,” “moon” or “star” in the title (in keeping with our theme!). The goal of the program is to help you get to know the library better as you step out of your “reading comfort zone” -- as one patron said about last year’s program, “I enjoyed that it was at my own pace yet encouraged me to read more…it encouraged me to step out of my normal reading genres.”

We welcome all patrons 17 and older with a valid library card to participate in our Adult Summer Reading program! All information and rules will be provided with registration. Visit the library for a sneak peek at our BINGO Board for 2019.

Our Reel Discussions series over the summer will feature space related films, such as “The Martian” (2015), “First Man” (2018) and “October Sky” (1999).

Children's Summer Reading - A Universe of Stories!

Read and Bead is back! Our Summer Reading program will help kids to fight boredom and discover new worlds! Bring your kids in and sign up! They'll get a necklace with starter beads and their Summer Reading record. For each 15 minutes of reading, they get a new bead. At the end of each week, we reveal a new special bead!

Kids who complete the program will end the summer with prizes including special books.

Start the summer with our Constellation Kick-Off on Friday June 28th with an indoor planetarium! Our Family Fun Fridays continue throughout the summer with visits from the Rochester Museum and Science Center, Buffalo and Brandy, Animals in Space (reptile show), Checkers the Inventor, and a Traveling Farm!

We cap off the summer on Aug. 9th with African Drumming, Dancing and Storytelling! We will also have the classic beauty "Belle" reading stories to kids on July 16th, and two Homeschooler Meet and Greet gatherings on July 19th and Aug. 2 at 1 p.m.

For 8-12 year old kids, we have a Nailed It! program at 3 p.m. each week. With limited supplies and time, they will have to be creative and work fast! On Thursdays at 10, it's STEAM Time! Explore tech gizmos, science gadgets and have fun. Register for each program by calling us or stopping in.

Teens can enjoy some cookies and book discussion in our low-pressure "What are You Reading? Book Club" on Fridays at 10. Come with a book you're reading or one you love! This is a fun, friendship-building group that encourages the love of reading.

Youth Summer Reading Program runs from June 24th to Aug. 10th.

For information about all upcoming events and library services, visit batavialibrary.org

Richmond Memorial Library continually provides access to physical and virtual resources and services that meet the educational, informational and recreational needs of its diverse community in a safe and comfortable environment. Learn more at www.batavialibrary.org

Press release:

The Genesee County Youth Bureau is seeking applicants for the Genesee Youth Lead Program. Applicants should be a Genesee County high school student entering their freshman through senior year.

The eight-month program is focused on developing leadership skills within an individual through each specific session and through hands on experience. Each session will have a different focus on our community and leadership.

For complete information about the program, click here.

The program will cost $75 for each student. If there is an economic hardship please contact the Genesee County Youth Bureau. 

The Youth Lead Program will take place at GVEP BOCES beginning Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will be held once a month on the second Wednesdays of each month.

The program dates are: Oct. 9, Nov. 13, Dec. 11, Jan. 8, Feb. 12, March 11, April 8, and May 13.

Youth that complete the program are encouraged to use the skills and information gained through their experience to support the communities in which they live.

The selection process will be done through an application and interview process by the staff. The class size is limited.

 Applications for the program can be found here.

 Please contact the Genesee County Youth Bureau with questions at (585) 344-3960 or at youthbureau@co.genesee.ny.us.

Press release:

East Bethany – Join the Genesee County Parks along with the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club and try out fishing at DeWitt Recreation Area from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 29th.

Kids up to age 16 can join the fun and get the chance to win a prize with the Kendra Haacke Memorial Fishing Derby, sponsored by the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club. Prize includes fishing gear donated by Cabela’s of Cheektowaga.

No fishing license required, this is part of the NYSDEC’s Free Fishing Weekend. Perfect for beginners!

Program meets at Pavilion 3. Friendly guides will be on hand to assist you.

Fishing gear provided or bring your own. Bait provided through a generous donation by Walmart of Batavia.

Call 585-344-1122 register or walk-ins also welcome.

For more information visit the parks' website here, or contact Shannon Lyaski at Shannon.Lyaski@co.genesee.ny.us or (585) 344-1122.