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LIVE: Interview with Jeff Allen, director of Crossroads House

By Howard B. Owens
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Interview with Jeff Allen, executive director of Crossroads House. 

In the interview, Allen talks about the decision to pause resident care at Crossroads House while continuing to provide services to the community.

He also fills us in on plans for the "Corona Convoy" organized by Bruce Scofield. Allen, who is trained in disaster response and crisis care, also shares his advice for the community and individuals.

If anyone wants to join the convoy on Sunday, contact Scofield at (585) 704-7482.

Video: Jeff Allen, Geneseean of the Year

By Howard B. Owens
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Jeff Allen, director of Crossroads House in Batavia, will receive an award tonight from the Chamber of Commerce at the Geneseean of the Year. The awards dinner is at Quality Inn & Suites.

Crossroads House grateful to Batavia Rotary Club for new snowblower and lawn mower

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

The Rotary Club of Batavia recently blessed Crossroads House with a new snowblower and lawn mower to keep the grounds of their home beautiful in the summer, and safe and snow free in the winter.

Crossroads House Executive Director Jeff Allen and Rotary Club of Batavia President Bob Knipe were on hand to see the new equipment at Cedar Street Sales and Rentals.

“For so many years, we have relied on volunteers and staff with shovels in the winter and used lawn mowers in the summer that often times were held together with duct tape.” Allen said.

“With this wonderful gift from the Rotary Club of Batavia, the great folks who keep up our grounds all year long can do so more efficiently.”

Upon delivery of the equipment Guy Clark, along with sons Adam and Connor, presented Crossroads House with a certificate from Cedar Street providing all parts, labor, maintenance and tune-ups for the new equipment for three years.

“With the added bonus, we only need to pay for gas and that is great for our budget.” Allen added.

Rotary Club of Batavia has partnered with Crossroads House for many years. They provided funds in the recent past to install a vital handicap bathroom.

They also funded an upgrade to the security camera system as well as LED lighting in the parking lot providing peace of mind important to a home that operates 24 hours a day.

Pictured, from left Bob Knipe, Rotary Club of Batavia president; Connor Clark and Guy Clark, Cedar Street Sales and Rentals; Jeff Allen, executive director of Crossroads House.

Crossroads House delights in gift of new wheelchair van

By Billie Owens

Submitted photos and press release:

A dream of Crossroads House founder Kathy Panepento has been realized through a generous gift from the family of a past resident.

Twenty years ago, Samuel Marchese spent his last days at Crossroads House. Because of a generous gift given by his daughter, Antoinette Clancy, and her husband, Emmett, Crossroads House was able to fund some foundational projects throughout the home, open only two years at the time.

The families of Crossroads House residents are forever families and so many faithfully support the mission long after their loved ones were served in our home. The Clancys remain one of those families. Recently they reached out to Crossroads House with the desire to bless our home again.

Panepento has always envisioned the idea of a comfort care home having it’s own wheelchair van to enhance the end of life experience and embrace every opportunity to live and make memories while at Crossroads House.

The Clancys embraced that idea and funded a brand new 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan wheelchair van. This gift allows Crossroads House to relieve families of often unreimbursed ambulance trips on admission.

The van will also make it possible to take residents and their loved ones out for day trips and outings that will create forever memories. Giving residents and their families the opportunity to live every moment has always been the mission of Crossroads House and this gift will help us continue to fulfill that in new and enduring ways.

"Crossroads House would like to thank Antoinette and Emmett for this wonderful gift!" said Crossroads House Executive Director Jeff Allen.

Top photo, from left: Kathy Panepento (Crossroads House founder and director of Resident Care), Deb Chilano with dog "Boston" (volunteers), John Chilano (volunteer and official wheelchair tester), Emily Crawford (coordinator of Volunteer Services), Vinnie Tjhung (volunteer), Diane Sia (director of Development), Jim Gardner (volunteer).

Attention bowlers! Betty Ellison Memorial 'Strike Out' bowling event is next month

By Billie Owens

The 24th Annual Betty Ellison Memorial “Strike Out” for Crossroads House Bowling event will be held:

  • Friday Feb. 21
  • Saturday, Feb. 22
  • Sunday Feb. 23rd

It will be held at the Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia. 

Shift times those days will be:

  • Friday -- 6 p.m.
  • Saturday -- 12 p.m. & 3 p.m.
  • Sunday -- 1 p.m.

5-person team registration fees are:

  • $110 until Feb. 14th
  • $125 after Feb. 14th

Registration and payments may be made securely online at www.crossroadshouse.com (Upcoming Events tab).

This is a great way to have some fun and support a great cause in your community at the same time. Crossroads House is a nonprofit comfort care home for the dying.

There will be raffles during each of the four shifts, also mega raffles, food, and 50/50.

New this year is NO TAP! For additional information call Cindy (585) 993-0584 or Tara (585) 409-0136.

Teams are filling up fast, so find four friends and join us at the lanes!

Sponsored Post: Crossroads House annual Fall basket raffle is October 26th

By Lisa Ace


Plan lunch with us! We will have hamburgers, italian sausage and Gail’s famous stuffed pepper soup, along with bread pudding and pies for dessert.

Tickets for the special Mega Woody Pedal Car and the Buffalo Bills Turf are available before the raffle at Crossroads House, stop by anytime for tickets, 11 Liberty St., Batavia.

All baskets and mega raffles will be drawn starting at 3 p.m. the day of the event. See you at the ARC Community Center, 38 Woodrow Road, Batavia, on Oct. 26th!

Sixth annual Fall Harvest Dinner Dance to benefit Crossroads House is Oct. 12

By Billie Owens

Press release:

On Saturday, Oct. 12, the sixth Annual Fall Harvest Dinner Dance to benefit Crossroads House will be held at Maximillian Kolbe Church hall, 8656 Church Street, East Pembroke.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Dinner will be provided by Penna’s Catering from 5:15 to 7 p.m. The menu is stuffed chicken, pasta, twice-baked potato, veggies, tossed salad, rolls and desserts.

There will be music to follow, by the Dark Horse Run Band from 7 to 11 p.m.

The famous pie auction will take place as well as basket raffles.

Tickets for this event are $20 cash, presale only, and are available at Crossroads House, 11 Liberty St. in Batavia, or by contacting Bob at (585) 762-8585 or Penny at (585) 356-3413.

Thank you for supporting the very best in comfort care in Genesee, Wyoming, and surrounding counties!

Reminder: PCD Kiwanis annual Car Cruise & Fall Festival is tomorrow at Pembroke Town Park

By Billie Owens

Information from Penny Arnold:

The Pembroke Corfu District Kiwanis Club will hold their 12th Annual Car Cruise & Fall Festival tomorrow, Sept. 15, at Pembroke Town Park on Route 77 (next to the high school).

Time is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rain or shine!

Why not take a ride in the country and head over to the Pembroke Town Park (8799 Alleghany Road (Route 77)) for an afternoon of fun, and support a great cause at the same time?

There will be music, an awesome basket raffle to benefit Crossroads House, plenty of vendors, and delicious food options available -- Babz BBQ, hamburgers and hotdogs from Crossroads House, Pink Cow with breakfast sandwiches and ice cream, pizza from the wood stove, and awesome desserts.

Plus more than 200 cars are expected.

New this year is a free Kids Car Cruise for ages 8 and under, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kids register your ride-on vehicle and get a kid's goody bag.

Cruise registration starts at 9 a.m. Preregistration fee is $10 per car; $15 day of the cruise.

For cruise info, call John at (716) 937-9918 or email him at drogicd@gmail.com

To preregister, download a car registration from the PCD Kiwanis website here.

Participants vote and trophies are awarded at 3 p.m.

Vehicle owners assume liability for vehicle damage.

Proceeds from the cruise registrations will benefit the PCD Kiwanis Kids Projects.

Unique dash plaques and goody bags are guaranteed for the first 100 cars. The big question of the day will be: what does this year's dash plaque look like? Come and see!

There will also be: a Kiwanis party package raffle; Crossroads House HUGE BASKET RAFFLE; 50/50 raffle; and more than 40 venders, many of them new vendors with very unique products.

File photos from the 2015 Car Cruise & Fall Festival.

Musical Memories concert to benefit Crossroads House is Sept. 21 at City Church

By Billie Owens

The 11th annual Musical Memories concert to benefit Crossroads House will be held at City Church on Saturday, Sept. 21.

The church is located at 210 E. Main St. in Downtown Batavia.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 6:30.

Cost is $5 for general seating and $10 for reserved seating.

There will be a "Mega Raffle" on site.

Performances by:

  • Parkside Avenue Brass
  • The Hit Men
  • St. Joe's of Batavia Brass Ensemble
  • Hamburg Kingsmen Drum & Bugle Corps
  • Silver Leafs (from Canada!)
  • Mighty St. Joe's Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps

Advance tickets are available at Crossroads House, Roxy's Music Store, Valle Jewelers, and The Prospector in Attica.

All proceeds benefit Crossroads House, a comfort care home for the dying in Batavia.

Minor family donates power wheelchair to Crossroads House and Navy vet benefits from the gift

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

When Lucy Minor stopped by Crossroads House to donate a power wheelchair used by her late husband, Travis, Executive Director Jeff Allen knew there was a value to it far greater than a resale price.

“Some donations are meant to be shared, not sold,” Allen said.

He then reached out to Genesee County Interagency Council, a network of local agencies, which immediately made use of their email network to spread the word.

LeeAnn Mullen contacted Crossroads House to put them in touch with 94-year-old Navy veteran Henry Kisiel, who is contemplating joining Assemblyman Steve Hawley on his 12th Annual Patriot Trip to Washington, D.C., next month.

Kisiel hopes the wheelchair will help overcome some of the logistical obstacles of making the trip.

Assemblyman Hawley joined members of the Minor family who delivered the wheelchair to Kisiel on Monday afternoon.

Kiesel noted that he and Steve’s father served on the Town of Batavia Board together many years ago.

Representative Hawley said that seats are still available for the Sept. 19-22 trip and any veterans interested can inquire by calling Hawley’s office at 585-589-5780.

Pictured are Henry Kisiel in his new chair, along with Steve Hawley, Maddie Minor, Jeff Allen and Mike Minor.

Save the Date: PCD Kiwanis Club holds annual Car Cruise & Fall Festival on Sept.15

By Billie Owens

The Pembroke Corfu District Kiwanis Club will hold their 12th Annual Car Cruise & Fall Festival on Sunday, Sept. 15 at Pembroke Town Park on Route 77 (next to the high school).

Rain or shine!

There will be music, an awesome basket raffle to benefit Crossroads House, plenty of vendors, and delicious lunch options available.

Why not take a ride in the country and head over to the Pembroke Town Park for an afternoon of fun, and support a great cause at the same time?

Cruise registration starts at 9 a.m. Preregistration fee is $10 per car; $15 day of the cruise. Proceeds from the cruise registrations will benefit the PCD Kiwanis Kids Projects. Unique dash plaques and goody bags are guaranteed for the first 100 cars.

Participants vote and trophies are awarded at 3 p.m.

New this year is a free Kids Car Cruise for ages 8 and under from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- kids register your ride-on vehicle and get a kid's goody bag.

For cruise info, call John at (716) 937-9918 or email him at  drogicd@gmail.com

Vehicle owners assume liability for vehicle damage.

To preregister, make your check payable to PCD Kiwanis Club, and mail to: PCD Kiwanis Club, Attn: Car Cruise Registration, 470 Sumner Road, Corfu, NY 14036.

Please include on a piece of paper: your name, address, city, state, Zip Code, phone number, email address, and the year/make/model of your vehicle.

Or download a car registration or vendor application from their website here.

For vendor information, call Penny at 356-3413 or email pcdkiwanis@gmail.com or visit online at www.pcdkiwanis.com

Oakfield's 'Rooted in Joy' named official market farm for Crossroads House

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

Shoppers may have noticed the bearded gentleman with the ear-to-ear smile at the Batavia Public Market. Mike Vickner and his wife, Jan Goodenbery, of “Rooted in Joy” sell the best of the season harvested from their farm located in Oakfield.

They have fruits, vegetables (especially garlic!), flowers and delicious baked goods. They also provide “pet-the-bunny therapy,” he says with a grin.

Dedicated to providing food grown in an environmentally sustainable manner (no chemicals, only natural fertilizers, and “chickens that live a chicken’s life”) Vickner believes in preserving the Earth and her bounty with his own Hippocratic oath of “do no harm.“

In addition to his passion for farming, Vickner is committed to his role as a caregiver at Crossroads House here in Batavia and its Board of Directors has graciously proclaimed Rooted in Joy as their official market farm.

As members of the Crossroads family, Mike and Jan will provide information at their stand about upcoming community events and fundraisers to support the Crossroads mission of providing the very best in comfort care for residents in Genesee, Wyoming, and surrounding counties.

“We’ll see you at the Market!”

Annual Van Hurlburt Golf Tournament is Aug. 15, benefits Crossroads House and Masonic Charities

By Billie Owens

The 19th Annual Van Hulburt Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit the comfort care home Crossroads House and Masonic Charities will take place Thursday, Aug. 15, at the Batavia Country Club.

It is hosted by Hesperus Masonic Lodge #837, Bergen.

Cost is $70 per person and includes: 18 holes of golf with cart; lunch; dinner; prizes -- men & women  / closest to the pin / longest drive / tournament winners.

Guests are welcome for a $22 fee.

The tournament is a four-person scramble. Sign in is at 11 a.m., lunch is 11:30, shotgun start is at noon.

All teams must be paid by Aug. 9th to guarantee placement in this tournament.

There will also be basket raffles, a 50/50, and Chinese auction.

For more information, contact Marty Krause at (585) 730-2809.

The tournament is sponsored by Triple-0-Mechanical Inc. Other sponsors include: Alexander Country Deli; Bergen C-Store & Dunkin Donuts; Ashley Capital; Ralph & Rosie's Deli & Pizzeria; Bonduelle USA; Jerry Hulburt & Family.

The tournament's namesake, Van Hulburt, worked for 35 years at Byron-Bergen Central School as a teacher, counselor and he coached golf for 25 years. He was a Past Master of Hesperus Lodge and a beloved member of the Masonic community.

Deadline to register for Alex's Place Chef Russell Memorial Golf Scramble is Aug. 1

By Billie Owens

The Alex's Place Chef Russell Memorial Golf Scramble will be held on Sunday, Aug. 11, at Batavia Country Club.

The deadline to register is Aug. 1st. Time is running out!

Here's the link to the brochure and the sponsorship and registration forms.

This year, the grand prize is a trip to Florida, which includes a boat rental and snorkeling!

The money raised from this fundraiser will be donated to Crossroads House, and for a scholarship created in memory of Chef Russell Bugbee. This scholarship will be awarded to an area high school graduate who is pursuing education in the culinary field.

C’mon out for a day of fun and sun and GOLF!

Thank you!

Crossroads House

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