Announcements

Rape Crisis Service is currently recruiting volunteers for our spring training cycle. There is an urgent need in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties for individuals to assist with this important service, which offers free and confidential assistance to victims of sexual assault and their loved ones and is the only one of its kind in the area.

Rape Crisis Service (RCS) offers sexual assault victims' referrals, short-term counseling and support during medical exams, police investigations and court proceedings. Being a RCS volunteer is a very rewarding experience, and without these important individuals who volunteer their time -- 24-hours-a-day, 7 days a week -- the services that RCS offers would not be available.

No prior experience is needed, as RCS provides all volunteers with New York State Department of Health mandated training that educates them how to provide support to victims and their families, assist in the legal process, and how to work with RCS counselors and other volunteers.

Those interested in volunteering for RCS must be at least 20 years of age and be comfortable working with victims in a crisis situation. We are seeking volunteers who can take phone calls from their home as well as volunteers who are able to accompany victims to the hospital or police station.

The time commitment is flexible, and at the volunteer's discretion. If you have always wanted to be an advocate for people in your community, this may be your volunteer opportunity!

Further information about how to volunteer and become involved in Rape Crisis Service can be found on the internet at www.pprsr.org or by contacting Theresa Asmus, Rape Crisis Service area supervisor at 344-0516, ext. 111.

Genesee Community College's newest academic program, Veterinary Technology, will host two information sessions from 5 to 6 p.m. on Monday, March 28 and from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Tuesday March 29. Both sessions will take place in T102 in the Conable Technology Building. The information sessions are free and open to all students and the general public.

The information sessions will discuss Veterinary Technology as a career, the application and admission process, academic requirements and prerequisites as well as degree and licensure information and frequently asked questions.

The Veterinary Technology (Vet Tech) program prepares students to complete the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) that is required for veterinary technician licensure (LVT) in New York State. LVTs are employed extensively in small and large private veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, equine facilities, zoos, medical research facilities, as nutritional and pharmaceutical representatives or herd managers, with USDA and NYS Agricultural & Markets.

Veterinary Technology students complete courses in Anatomy and Physiology, Veterinary Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Veterinary Nutrition, Techniques in Laboratory Animals and Exotics, Small Animal Pathology and Nursing, Large Animal Pathology and Nursing, Surgical Nursing and Anesthesiology, Veterinary Radiology and Dentistry, Parasitology, as well as general education courses, including communications, computers, and mathematics.

Vet Tech students also complete three "externships" consisting of supervised real world experience working with animals in clinical settings throughout the region.

"The local job market is growing for anyone looking for a career as a vet tech," said Kathryn Seweryniak, director of the Veterinary Technology program at Genesee. "The demand for veterinary technicians is expected to grow by 20 percent in New York State over the next six years, and by 41 percent nationwide."

The entire program consists of 72 credit hours and can be completed within two years by students pursuing full-time study. Those students desiring to further their education and career options can explore a business management dual degree or transfer options with four-year colleges and universities to pursue higher degrees in the veterinary medical field.

For further information please contact Kathryn Seweryniak, director of the Veterinary Technology program at 343-0055, ext. 6187 or <http://keseweryniak@genesee.edu>.

The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ART!) is pleased to announce a new exhibit by Daniel Cherry and Robert Williams in its Bank of Castile Main Gallery located in Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St. in Batavia.

The exhibit runs through March 29th and showcases more than 30 works by the two photographers, combined. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, and by appointment.

Cherry has loved taking pictures since he was young. He grew up on a small farm in Oakfield and was very involved in 4-H as a boy. He is now a single dad, and proud father of two boys, Daniel Jr. and Jimmy, whom he has photographed since their birth.

He has exhibited at the former PIECES Gallery, Main Street Coffee and Batavia’s “First Thursdays” event. He is a regular contributor to GO ART!’s annual winter group shows, but this is his first feature show.

Camera in hand everywhere he goes, Cherry feels strongly that “images are important” and that “cameras are like our eyes, but they can capture a moment forever so that someday people can see what we saw…they are a history of our lives, and they can never be replaced if we lose them.”

Similarly attached to his camera, Williams’ slogan is “have camera will travel.” He has belonged to the Batavia Photography Club for 24 years, a club that he feels is a great venue to learn to improve your photography skills (www.bataviaphoto.org).

While most of his photography features elements such as flowers, scenery, hot air balloons and fireworks, Williams has also dabbled in weddings, senior family portraits and family portraits.

“I have learned if you do something and you want a picture of it, take it right then as it might not be there next time,” Williams said, adding, “Go out and have fun with (your) camera.”

He is exhibiting a variety of photos that he hopes everybody enjoys viewing.

GO ART! exhibits are made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts. For more information, contact GO ART! at 343-9313, info@GOart.org or visit www.GOart.org.

This month, the Genesee Center for the Arts at Genesee Community College will present the Jack Stokes play, "Nobody Likes Mordacious (And that's the Way He Likes It)."

Local schools are invited to the daytime private performances of the show scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 23 and Thursday, March 24. One final performance is scheduled for the public at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 25.

Special ticket prices for Friday's performance for family patrons include a buy-one-get-one (BOGO) ticket special. Patrons may buy one adult or senior ticket and get one children ticket free.

Patrons may also "check in" to Genesee Community College on social media platforms such as Foursquare or Facebook, using a mobile device, to receive the BOGO special. Patrons just need to show their "check-in" from their mobile device at the box office when purchasing tickets.

The play is a lively stage fantasy that presents the audience with a young girl named Orafu, who needs to rescue her parents from the ploys of a very wicked fellow. On an epic quest laced with humor, Orafu encounters genies, shadows, monsters, pirates and enlists the aid of a witch-fighting guide in order to restore her family. This play is appropriate for any audience, particularly elementary and middle-school children.

GCC Forum Players cast members are: Tyler Eldred (Dansville) as Chairman; the Narrator, Latoya Soloman (Rochester) as Assistant to the Chairman; and a utility player, Faith Horne (Rochester) as Orafu; a girl going on an adventure, Elizabeth Daniels (Albion); Mother of Orafu, Bobby Steeves, (Albion), Father of Orafu and a utility player, Alex Farley (Pembroke); Mordacious, a wicked fellow, Jamie Hicks (Sterling); Madam Swizzle, a famous fighter of witches, Heather Hilderbrandt  (Lockport); Mordy's Mother and a utility player, Alayna Zimbrick (Hilton); Sailor One, and a utility player, Joanne Taheri (Clarence and Newfane); Mad Maude, a vicious pirate, Sailor Two and a utility player, Alex Grayson (Watertown); Captain Doodlesack, a ship commander, Patrick Dodge (Warsaw); Genie, the Huge and Hairy Thing and a utility player, Ben Liebrand (Greece), Bloody Bernard, a vicious pirate, Nikkia Travis (Rochester); Crazy Catherine, a vicious pirate captain and utility player, Trevlyn Henry (Bronx).

"Nobody Likes Mordacious (And that's the Way He Likes It)," is directed by Norm Gayford, professor in the Humanities Department at GCC. This is his fifth year associated with GCC's theater and his third directing the Children's Theatre show.

Technical and Stage direction by Ed Hallborg, theater technical director and instructor in GCC's Fine and Performing Arts Department, and Jessica Yost, of Albion, a first-year GCC student, is the stage manager.

General admission ticket prices for the public performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 25 are $8 for adults, $5 for senior (55+), students and Genesee faculty and staff, and $3 for Genesee students with a valid GCC ID. GCC Alumni receive a $2 discount on a ticket with a valid GCC Alumni ID card.

For more information on the daytime school performances, contact the Genesee Center for the Arts at 345-6814. The box office is normally open 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and one hour prior to the start of each performance.

To reserve tickets, contact the Box Office at boxoffice@genesee.edu <http://boxoffice@genesee.edu > or call 345-6814. Don't forget BOGO! The Genesee Center for the Arts Box Office accepts cash, checks and now MasterCard and Visa credit cards.

Amy White, of Pavilion, was named to Dean's List at Mansfield University for the fall 2010 semester.

To be named to the Dean's List, a student must be attending the university full-time and earn at least a 3.5 GPA.

Mansfield University is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. For more information, check online at mansfield.edu.

Farmers all around Western New York State are recycling their triple-rinsed plastic containers from agricultural crop protection products such as specialty pest control, crop oils, surfactants, micro-nutrient/fertilizer, and/or adjuvant products.

USAg Recycling, Inc., offers agricultural producers and custom applicators an environmentally “green” convenient option for disposing of their empty containers.  USAg Recycling Inc. will be picking up agricultural plastic containers in several locations throughout New York State in the months of June and October, 2011.

The service is free to farmers and provides an environmentally friendly alternative to burning or throwing away agricultural containers.

Last year, USAg Recycling, Inc., collected 46,000 pounds of plastic containers statewide. It is a contractor for the industry-funded Ag Container Recycling Council (ACRC), which in 2008 celebrated 100 million pounds of agricultural plastic containers recycled from across the United States.

Today, ACRC averages eight million pounds collected each year. Collected containers are ground into chips and recycled as corrugated plastic field drainage pipe and other ACRC approved products. Farmers are doing their share to help keep plastic out of the landfills.

Containers accepted are HDPE #2 plastic containers only, ranging from less than one gallon to 55-gallon barrels. Large 250-gallon shuttle totes must be cut into 2-foot-wide pieces and free of any hardware. Cutting tanks in this manner facilitates proper cleaning and inspection, reduces storage area, and allows for direct feed into the granulation machine.

To be acceptable for recycling, plastic containers must be empty, clean, uncapped and dry. To help store containers until pick-up time, bags that hold 50 to 60 – 2.5-gallon containers are available for free upon registration.

Exact pick-up dates at local sites will be available within the first weeks of June and October.

Please contact Elizabeth Bentley-Huber at Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District at 343-2362 or at Elizabeth.Bentley-Huber@ny.nacdnet.net. or Tucker Kautz with Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District at 473-2120, ext. 108, for more information and registration.

The annual Genesee County Middle School Youth Conference will be held on Tuesday, March 15, at Genesee Community College in Batavia. This year's theme is "Bully Prevention: Taking the Bully by the Horns."

More than 20 workshops will be offered to about 400 seventh- and eighth-grade students from public and paraochial schools countywide.

The workshops are related to increasing resiliency and other protective factors, while building life skills, such as decision-making, leadership and practicing a healthy lifestyle.

The youth conference runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The keynote speech is scheduled from 9 to 10 a.m.

An internationally known keynote presenter, Michael Nerney, executive director of Michael Nerney and Associates, will address the youth and will also provide a workshop to teachers, parents and other adults.

The focus of Nerney's presentation will be on adolescent brain development and the negative effects of bullying on brain development. The message will be geared to changing social norms among middle-school youth so that everyone in bullying situations, especially bystanders, understand that bullying is not acceptable, nor is it harmless.

With teachers and other adults, Nerney will stress that prevention and intervention with bullies, both male and female, is essential to creating a safe environment for learning. In this workshop, teachers will examine characteristics of bullies and victims; identify both subtle and “red flag” behaviors; and explore options for intervening with bullies.

Michael Nerney is a consultant in Substance Abuse Prevention and Education, with more than 29 years of experience in the field. He is a certified instructor in violence prevention and management with the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI).  He has been a consultant for two of the major television networks and most recently appeared on the ABC program “20/20.”

In addition to schools, the annual conference is a result of collaboration between several Genesee County human service agencies, GCC, area businesses and sponsors.

Sponsors include: Genesee County STOP-DWI; Genesee County Youth Bureau; Batavia Rotary Club; Batavia Lions Club; Kiwanis Club of Batavia; Genesee County SADD Chapter; Upstate Farms Cooperative; Lake Ontario Fruit, Inc; Genesee Community College; Batavia Subway; City of Batavia Youth Bureau; Cornell Cooperative Extension (4-H) of Genesee County; Planned Parenthood; GCASA (Genesee/Orleans Council on Substance and Alcohol Abuse); and the Genesee Area Family YMCA.

Questions regarding the conference may be addressed to: Jocelyn Sikorski of the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 344-3960, by e-mail at jsikorski@co.genesee.ny.us  or, Paul Webster of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County at 343-3040, ext. 117, or by e-mail at pvw7@cornell.edu.

Darien Lake, New York's largest theme park and water park resort, will be hiring more than 2,000 positions for the 2011 season and participating in several career fairs at local colleges and universities.

Interested candidates are encouraged to first call the Darien Lake Human Resources office for an application at 585-599-5108. Then, visit a local college job fair and find the Darien Lake table.

In Genesee County, Darien Lakes will be participating in the job fair at Genesee Community College, Batavia Campus, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12.

The South Byron Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., will hold its Spring Sportsman Raffle from 3 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 19 at its Recreation Hall, located on Route 237.

Prizes this year include:

• 10 guns, including rifles and shotguns
• Camping, fishing and archery packages
• A 14-foot Oak Orchard Canoe
• A 16-foot Oak Orchard Canoe
• Five $100 cash prizes
• Grand Prize No.1 -- $1000 cash
• Grand Prize No. 2 -- AR-15 Rifle

Tickets are $20 each and entitle you to one admission and meal, snacks, refreshments, and -- most importantly -- a chance at the prizes. There will also be table raffles, side raffles, 50/50 sales and Pull Tabs being sold throughout the day.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 585-409-5991 or 585-548-9008.

The Sportsman Raffle is South Byron's main fundraiser every year. Proceeds are used to pay for equipment and training that enable our firefighters to help better serve our community.

On Wednesday, March 30, the City of Batavia and Genesee County Youth
Boards will hold the 15th Annual Youth Recognition Dinner at the Batavia Party House.

Thirty-one young people will be honored for their commitment to community service and/or their impressive role in their family. The event will also recognize an adult youth worker, adult volunteers, and the Business Appreciation Award
recipients.

This year, it is also a celebration of the Genesee County Youth Bureau's 40th Anniversary.

The following young people will be recognized for their outstanding service
in the community and/or family:

• Cody Blakeman
• Taylor Bloom
• Jeremy Crawford
• Triton Drock
• Kelly Dumuhosky
• Kaitlin Emerson
• Joseph Falkowski
• Melissa Fite
• Patrick Guarino
• Jenna Hume
• Grace Judge
• Felicia Kennedy
• Joe Kurch
• Brian Laird
• Jon Laird
• Kaitlin Logsdon
• Patrick Long
• Aubrey Maryniak
• Connor Nesbitt
• Ashley Oehler
• Jaden Ohlson
• Jamie Patnode
• Jessica Pcionek
• Zarina Supueva
• Paul Teresi
• Melissa Thater
• Kayla Underwood
• Keith Welch
• Eric Williams
• Erica Williams
• Tessa Williams

Richard Ohlson is receiving the Adult Volunteer Award.; Julie Walsh from the Justice for Children Advocacy Center is receiving the Adult Youth Worker Award; Tops Friendly Markets was selected for the Business Appreciation Award.

Registration and refreshments will begin at 5 p.m. The program and dinner begins at 6.

In commemoration of the Genesee County Youth Bureau's 40th Anniversary, there will be a special performance by Garrison Starr immediately following the program.

Seating is limited. If you are interested in attending the banquet, please contact the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 344-3960 no later than Wednesday, March 15.

The Salvation Army will be hosting its fifth  annual “Major Steps 5K Walk” on Saturday, April 30.

The monies raised will benefit The Salvation Army’s Emergency Family Services office, which provides food and financial assistance to families in Genesee County.

For individuals who are not able to complete the 5K walk there are two shorter routes. Strollers, wheelchairs, pull-along wagons and pets are welcome.

Again this year we will be offering “Take a Step Back." Recognized nonprofit groups can receive back 20 percent of the total they raise in pledges and/or donations. To be eligible, the group must have at least five walkers participating and each walker must have a minimum of $25 in pledges/donations.

Individuals registering before April 8 will receive an event T-shirt. This includes escorts as well as walkers.

For more information contact: Capt. Patty at 343-6284 or email at patricia.kurtz@use.salvationarmy.org

Two local students made the Dean's List for outstanding academic achievemenat at the University at Albany-SUNY for the fall 2010 semester.

They are:

Stephanie Dudek, of Batavia

Andrew White, of Elba

The University at Albany is an internationally recognized research university with 56 undergraduate majors and 115 graduate degree programs. It is a leader among all New York State colleges and universities in such diverse fields as public policy, nanotechnology and criminal justice.

A Public Hearing will be held by the Town of Batavia Planning Board regarding the application of Larry Abaire, 3282 W. Main St. Rd., for a Special Use Permit to operate a motor vehicle sales, service, repair and impound yard. This district is zoned Commercial, Tax Map #11-1-62.1.

The hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15 at the Batavia Town Hall, 3833 W. Main St. Rd., Batavia. All interested persons will be heard. A copy of the application is on file at the Town Hall for review. Written comments will be accepted prior to that date.

Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester is pleased to announce the following students were named to the Dean's List for their outstanding academic performance for the fall 2010 semester.

Shavaughn Bartz, of Byron, received Honors.

John Blevins, of Batavia, received High Honors.

Allison Dembowski, of East Bethany, received Highest Honors.

Jewelyn Fregoe, of Bergen, received High Honors.

Taylor Goodman, of Corfu, received Honors.

Alannah Heale, of Bergen, received Honors.

Katherine Kovatch, of Le Roy, received Highest Honors.

Brandon Luce, of Batavia, received Honors.

Emily Maniace, of Batavia, received High Honors.

Marinna Ostrowski, of Batavia, received High Honors.

Alyssa Pike, of Batavia, received Honors.

Katherine Rudman, of Le Roy, received High Honors.

Bethany Salvia, of Bergen, received Honors.

Michelle Salvia, of Bergen, received Highest Honors.

Byron Sass, of Byron, received High Honors.

Tyler Sass, of Byron, received High Honors.

David Stacy, of Bergen, received Highest Honors.

Molly Stokes-Riner, of Batavia, received Honors.

Andrea Zinke, of Batavia, received Honors.

Honors, grade-point average ranging from 3.5 to 3.69

Higher Honors, grade-point average ranging from 3.79 to 3.89

Highest Honors, grade-point average ranging from 3.9 to 4.0

About Roberts Wesleyan College

With an enrollment of nearly 2,000 students and a tradition of excellence since 1866, Roberts Wesleyan College is a leader among liberal arts colleges with a Christian worldview.

For more information, visit www.roberts.edu <http://www.roberts.edu>.

The Batavia Area Jaycees will be collecting nonperishable items at the upcoming Home Show and everything collected will be donated to Stephen’s Table in Batavia.

Any patron that brings in a food item will also received $1 off admission price. (You can bring in more then one food item, but it will only be $1 off the $4 admission price!)

The Home Show is scheduled for March 19-20 at the Batavia Downs. Hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There is still room available for vendors!

Contact Cathy at 343-5775 or e-mail at bajhomeshow@yahoo.com <mailto:bajhomeshow@yahoo.com> for more details.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce will present Social Media for Your Organization on March 15.  Kevin Manne, the Genesee Community College new media specialist will be the speaker.

Facebook was the No. 1 most visited Web in the nation last year. Twenty-five billion messages were sent on Twitter last year. All kinds of people -- from potential customers to long-lost cousins or classmates -- are talking with each other and the world through social networks.

This presentation will explain what social media is, what the major platforms are and how they can be leveraged for marketing, customer service, media coverage, or just plain good fun. Manne will explain how to measure the effectiveness of your efforts.

This event will take place beginning at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 15 at T.F. Brown's restaurant, located at 216 E. Main St. A continental breakfast will be provided.

The cost is $10 for chamber members and $15 non-members. Space will be limited to the first 15 people, so you don’t want to miss out. Please contact Melissa at the chamber of commerce to register.

Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, 210 E. Main St., Batavia

343-7440, ext. 27

e-mail to chamber@geneseeny.com

Abbey Scalia, of Batavia, made the Dean's List at Marist College for the fall 2010 semester. She is majoring in Communication.

Marist is an independent, comprehensive, liberal arts college founded in 1929. Its 150-acre campus is located in Poughkeepsie. It offers 34 major fields of undergraduate study and 12 graduate-degree programs.

A special event called the "Cabin Fever Vendor Blender" is being held from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 6 at St. Joseph's School Cafeteria.

It will benefit the Learning Center at St. Patrick's SUCCEED Academy, which is a new inner-city Catholic elementary school in Sacramento, Ca., where Megan Brenner serves as a Jesuit volunteer.

She's a 2006 graduate of Batavia High School and a 2010 graduate of Canisius College.

Megan and her mother, Mary Brenner, will be hosting the event. It will offer a wide variety of items for sale, including jewelry, home decor, purses, greeting cards, handmade quilts, and arts & crafts, including some "very cool" artworks made from silverware.

Chuck "the pie guy" Brenner will have toothsome pies for sale, including apple, cherry, pumpkin, three berry and more.

There's also a bake sale, beverages, a Chinese auction and Batavia's Original pizza.

The school is located at 2 Summit St., Batavia.

St. James Episcopal Church in Batavia will host fish fries for six Fridays in a row from March 11 through April 15.

Take-outs begin at 4:30 p.m. and eat-in seating begins at 5 p.m.

The menu is haddock -- batter-dipped and fried or seasoned and baked -- French fries or baked potato, cole slaw or applesauce, assorted breads and butter.

Beverage and dessert are extra. Free delivery to seniors and shut-ins
within the City of Batavia. The church is located at 405 E. Main St. Phone is 343-6802. All proceeds benefit the Tower Restoration Fund.

Ask yourself. Do I feel ducky?

Well, you're in luck. It's nearly time again for the Ducky Derby Fundraiser at Genesee Community College to benefit the United Way.

The third annual race will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 10. Students will be selling duck tickets until the day of the race.

Students in Rick Dudkowski 's Professional Sales and Advertising classes and the Business Forum Club were given the assignment of creating a fundraiser to increase giving to the United Way.

The Ducky Derby was what they came up with. It's modeled after a similar race held a few years ago in the Tonawanda Creek as a fundraiser for youth activities at the old Royal Rink (now Falletti Ice Arena).

Ticket purchasers will be assigned to a numbered rubber duck. The ducks will then be "set free" in the Olympic-size pool at GCC in Batavia. With the help of a "current" created by the college's Swim Team, the first duck to make it to the end of the swimming pool wins.

The prize will depend on what each person paid for his or her ticket. Students are selling the tickets in one-dollar increments from $1 to $5. Participants win a percentage of the money raised based on how much they paid for the ticket.

For example, if a $1 duck wins, the winner will receive 10 percent of the funds raised. If a $2 duck wins, the winner gets 20 percent, and so on, up to 50 percent for a $5 duck.

The students' goal is raising more than $1,000 to beat -- or at least match -- the amount students raised last year for the United Way.

"We really hope to exceed our goal this year," said Kristyna Jaquin, Genesee student and a member of the Rubber Duck Promotion Team. "Since this is the third year of this race, we hope more people will support our efforts because they know they can have a chance at winning some money while helping other members of our Genesee community who will benefit from our donations."

Ducks will be available for purchase at the Batavia campus in the forum, up until the start of the race. For further information or to purchase a duck, please contact Rick Dudkowski, Business faculty member, at 343-0055, ext. 6390 or at  <http://mrdudkowski@genesee.edu.>.