Announcements

From Genesee Community College:

Genesee Community College students received $16.7 million in student financial assistance last year, according to Joseph Bailey, Associate Dean for Enrollment Services.

Mr. Bailey told trustees at Monday's Board of Trustees meeting that Genesee students received aid to help defray their education from a variety of sources, including federal PELL grants ($5.5 million); New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) grants ($3.6 million); and Stafford loans ($7 million).

Student aid is on the increase, Mr. Bailey reported. Next year, the maximum PELL award will increase. Despite problems with national credit markets, Genesee Community College has access to enough private lenders to make educational loans possible. Genesee has also been declared eligible as a federal direct loan college, meaning that students could borrow directly from the federal government for educational expenses if they needed to do so.

"We have a wide range of financial resources available to help students pursue their college education," Mr. Bailey said.

Students may contact Genesee's Office of Financial Assistance at 585-345-6900 for more information about financial assistance and veterans services programs, and for help in completing financial assistance applications.

From the Lupus Alliance of America:

The Lupus Alliance of America, Upstate New York Affiliate (www.lupusupstateny.org) announces the success of the 2008 Sweetest Day Chocolate Butterfly Bouquet Sale.  This year they sold over 1,700 bouquets.

The money raised from this event will help continue serving those affected by lupus within the Western New York community.  Lupus Alliance of America Upstate New York has been providing services to lupus patients and their families for over 30 years.  The butterfly bouquet sales, has helped increase the level of awareness about lupus, which is also a major part of Alliance’s mission.

Thank you to the businesses and volunteers for making this year’s Sweetest Day Chocolate Butterfly Bouquet campaign such a success.

We received this via a news sumbission from Lisa Suozzi:

MY YORIE-POO LITTLE 7LBS ALL BLACK DOG HAS BEEN MISSING FOR ALITTLE OVER A WEEK NOW AND i AM OFFERING A $500.00 REWARD FOR HER SAFE RETURN. SHE WAS LAST SEEN NEAR SOUTH MAIN ST AND FAIRWAY DRIVE. SHE WAS WEARING A PINK HARNESS. PLEASE IF ANYONE KNOWS WERE SHE IS YOU COULD CONTACT ME AT 585-409-8603 OR 585-345-1552.THANK YOU!

"Come & Worship"

A Christmas Invitation

Saturday, December 6, 2008 7:00 P.M.

Sunday, December,7, 2008 8:30 A.M.

St. Paul Lutheran Church

31 Washington Ave.

Batavia, New York

Admission is Free

You will find all of the long term care and service options that are offered throughout Genesee County by going to www.co.genesee.ny.us and clicking on NY Connects Genesee Care Options. This information is for people over age 60, disabled adults, children, infants, and their caregivers.

Many times; disability, aging, injury, or illness may lead to future problems. You, a family member, or a loved one may need help to plan for further care. Making choices about care during these times can be hard.

 Contact us through our website or by calling 585-343-1611 for more information

*Where can I turn for help?

*How can I find out about all of my options?

Notre Dame High School will present its annual Holiday Pops dinner and concert on Sunday, December 7, 2008.

From Genesee Community College:

he Global Education Committee and the Student Government Association at Genesee Community College are sponsoring a panel discussion on the Current Issues in Immigration. The panel discussion will take place on Tuesday, December 2, 2008 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at the Batavia Campus in room T102. The event is free and open to the public.

Guest speakers include: Sophie Feal, Supervising Immigration Attorney at the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project; Samson Olaode, Director of Grant Services at Genesee and a native of Nigeria; Betty Svitavsky, Principal of Brockport Migrant Education Project; and Nada Brooks, an international student at Genesee from Mongolia. The panel discussion will discuss the challenges and issues involved in becoming a citizen, interpreting and navigating current immigration laws and living as a migrant worker.

As part of the efforts of the Global Education Committee at Genesee, the group will also be sponsoring collection drives for reading glasses, eye glasses and sun glasses on behalf of the Lions Club. There is also a collection for glasses for New York Help Honduras, a non-profit organization that sponsors mission trips to Honduras to aid in medical, agricultural and educational improvements. Collection boxes will be available at the panel discussion as well as in the Social Sciences suite at the Batavia campus.

The Global Education Committee at Genesee Community College is dedicated to recognizing, embracing, and celebrating the diversity of the human family. Through its varied activities, the Global Education Committee fosters multicultural awareness, understanding and appreciation, and provides opportunities to demonstrate global citizenship.

For further information, please contact Karen Kovach-Allen, Dean of Human Communication and Behavior at Genesee Community College at 585-343-0055 ext.6298 or by email kekovachallen@genesee.edu.

From Genesee Community College:

The annual Encore event is a holiday tradition featuring a performance by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at approximately 7:45 PM in the Stuart Steiner Theatre. Guests will be welcomed by Edgar and Mary Louise Hollwedel, chairpersons of the event.

A pre-concert Gala Reception from 6:00 to 7:30 PM takes place in the William W. Stuart Forum where guests will savor sensational gourmet foods from various stations, and listen to the festive sounds of Derek Reiss' Jazz Quartet. After the RPO concert, guests will enjoy a coffee bar including a selection of delectable desserts.

A few tickets for the event are still available for $100 by calling 585-345-6809.

FREE energy saving and financial management workshops will be offered in December at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County.

Save Energy, Save Dollars will be offered at 9 a.m. on December 12th and will be followed by Making Ends Meet at 11:30 a.m. The public is encouraged to attend one or both of these informative sessions.

The Save Energy, Save Dollars session helps participants learn about low-cost and no-cost ways to reduce energy bills, learn about programs that can help you afford energy-efficiency improvements with subsidies, low-interest loans, or free services to qualifying households.  All attendees receive an assortment of energy saving items.

Making Ends Meet shows participants how to develop a household-spending plan, ways to maximize resources and how to reduce energy usage. Money management kits will be provided to all in attendance.

Pre-registration required.  For more information or to register, contact Kristine Fisher at 343-3040, ext. 114 or kaf35@cornell.edu,  or stop by the Extension Center located at 420 East Main St. in Batavia.

7th Annual Celebrate Agriculture Dinner

Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 6 p.m.
Alexander Fire Hall, Rt. 98 in Alexander

Dinner tickets may be ordered for $25 each or $230 for a table of ten from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County.

The event is open to the public. You are encouraged to purchase tickets early as only 400 will be sold and last year the event sold out by mid-January.

This extremely popular community tradition has become firmly established as a festive, fun filled get-together, and an opportunity to come together and socialize before the beginning of another growing season.
This year the event will wrap up National Agriculture Week, which will run from March 15-21.

To order tickets stop by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County located at 420 East Main St. in Batavia. For more information, call Michelle Dills at 585-343-3040 ext. 107.

This event is coordinated by the following partners
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County
Genesee County Chamber of Commerce
Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District
Genesee County Farm Bureau

From Genesee Community College:

Genesee Community College is pleased to announce that Annette Zuber has been named Employee of the Month for November 2008. Annette has worked at Genesee for nine years and is currently a Technical Specialist in Institution Research and Assessment. While working at Genesee, she has completed two Associate's degrees and is on her way to completing a Master's Degree.

Before coming to Genesee, Annette was a stay-at-home mom to her three children when she came to Genesee to update her business skills to get a job. Her first position at the College was a math mentor and she assumed her present position in Institutional Research and Assessment in 2004. She has made great contributions to the College's ability to track students and graduates by creating and maintaining databases. She is a self -starter who repeatedly demonstrates the capacity to organize complex tasks, gather and interpret information, and to research and understand complicated regulations and directions from external agencies.

Annette began her educational career at Cornell University where she received a Bachelor's degree in Food and Nutrition in 1972. While working at the College, she found time to obtain an Associate's Degree in Accounting in 2000 and an additional Associate's Degree in Computer Information Systems in 2002. Annette is currently working on a Master's degree in Mathematics at SUNY Brockport.

A resident of Wyoming, NY, she enjoys gardening, crafts and photography, as well as raising puppies for Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

"I like the fact that I am allowed to work with my own style in a very supportive environment," Annette said. "I have many different projects, so the job is always interesting."

From Genesee Community College:

Genesee Community College is pleased to name Emily Voss Student of the Month for November. Emily, a 2007 graduate of Fillmore High School, is in the Elementary Education Transfer Program at Genesee. She is a very active student and was named to the Dean's List in the Spring of 2008. She participates in many activities on campus and at College Village, all while maintaining an excellent academic record.

Emily is a work study student in the Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) programs office where she is punctual and completes her work with responsibility and efficiency. She is a dedicated worker that even goes the extra distance to help out with the multitude of applications for ACE courses.

Emily, 19, a resident of Short Tract, NY plans on attending Roberts Wesleyan upon completing her studies at Genesee to pursue a Bachelor's and Master's Degree. She says her dream job would be to teach the first grade at her hometown school district, Fillmore Central School.

Emily chose Genesee Community College for its small community feel and its low cost of tuition. "My favorite aspect of Genesee is how small it is," said Emily. "This allows you to grow closer to your classmates and your professors, while getting a hands-on education."

From Genesee Community College:

Residents in College Village have something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday. Beginning at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, November 25, the Resident Assistants and College Village staff at Genesee Community College will prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for students in the Village Hall of College Village. The meal is free to residents and will include turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and of course, pumpkin pie.

On average, 100 to 150 students attend the annual dinner. For many, this will be their only Thanksgiving celebration. And for international students, this may be the first time they've experienced the holiday or tasted the traditional fare.

"The RA's and staff get to cook all day for this event and we definitely have fun along the way," said Ellen Brokaw, Assistant Director of Residence Life at College Village. "For some, this is their first try at cooking a full Thanksgiving meal. We hope to have a good turnout of students participating and are looking forward to a fun evening."

This is the fourth year that College Village has provided a free Thanksgiving dinner to students.

For further information, please contact Ellen Brokaw, Assistant Director of Residence Life at Genesee's College Village at 585-343-0163 or by email ecbrokaw@genesee.edu.

From Genesee Community College:

The fourth annual RESPECT Campaign Food Drive at Genesee Community College was a success, despite the recent slower economy. The food drive ran from November 3rd through November 11th, with all collections donated to the local Salvation Army.

In addition to the donations collected by the members of the RESPECT Campaign, the group also purchased 15 turkeys as well as the ingredients to create the perfect Thanksgiving meal. Mashed potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce were all purchased to complete the meals. The members of the RESPECT campaign anticipated the donations could feed approximately 30 local families this holiday season.

"The members of the Salvation Army we're so surprised with our donations this season," said Ellen Brokaw, assistant director of Residence Life at College Village. "In the face of a slower economy and tighter spending, people still came out and donated so many items. This really shows the type of people we have in our community and the generosity they demonstrated."

The RESPECT Campaign aims to promote and create a more respectful environment throughout the College and among all students, staff and faculty. It is organized by Residence Life at College Village, as well as Student Activities. They promote special events and opportunities for the entire college community, the many different cultures, races, religions, as well as the different genders and various levels of authority, so they can build a dynamic understanding with one another.

Anyone interested in becoming involved are encouraged to call Ellen Brokaw at 343-0163 or Joanna Barefoot at 343-0055 x 6513. Volunteers and contributions from the general community are warmly welcomed.

The parent group at Robert Morris Elementary has completed three of six workshops that are being presented to parents. These workshops are designed to reach out to parents in our community. Workshop topics already covered included a Math Night, Internet Safety Workshop, and Study Skills and the Home Environment.  Future topics include Practical Financial Hints to Help Save on January 27, 2009, Anxiety in Children on February 24, 2009, and Communicating with Your Child on March 31, 2009. All workshops are from 6:30p.m.until 8:00p.m. These presentations are open to all parents and the materials are sent to each principal. F.O.R.M. provides refreshments for each workshop and the parents put forth a great deal of effort to ensure that these workshops are a success. Reaching out to parents and providing opportunities for involvement is the goal of this year's workshops.

Information provided by Allison Chua