Announcements

A new youth program is being offered in the City of Batavia. It engages youth in various activities that have them using their skills and ideas while making an impact in their quest for a successful life.

This program is at the Richmond Memorial Library from 3 to 4 p.m. on Mondays and at the Salvation Army Gym from 5 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

The library is located at 19 Ross St. and the gym is at 529 E. Main St.

For more info please call Wittnes Smith at 716-390-1274.

Press release:

In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, Genesee Community College is proud to announce two new history and political science courses for the spring semester. The American Civil War (HIS290) will be offered from 9:30 to 10:50 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at the Batavia and Lima campuses via V-link. The American Presidency (POS210) will be offered from 11 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Batavia campus.

Taught by History faculty member Derek Maxfield, The American Civil War examines the coming of the Civil War, tracing the causes from the rise of slavery in America and the creation of the Constitution to westward expansion and diverging economic bases, as well as the military, political and cultural aspects of the war itself.

"It is a great time to be offering this, as we are now commemorating the 150th anniversary of that war," Maxfield said. "In addition to the normal political and military narrative, I will also ask students to consider how Victorian culture influenced both the coming of the war and the way it was fought.

"This course is very personal for me, as I have five great-grandfathers that served. One of those, William Reese, fought with the 149th PA Infantry 'Bucktails' at Gettysburg on the first day. He was wounded but survived the battle and the war."

The American Presidency examines the historical foundations, theoretical aspects and the powers of the presidency. Students will explore the various models of presidential power, the major issues scholars are investigating, and will complete a project based on observation, hypothesis development, collection of data, evaluation of evidence, and interpretive analysis.

"Although the course is a Political Science offering, I will be taking an interdisciplinary approach that explores the evolution of the presidency since its beginnings," Maxfield said. "It is exciting to be offering the course at the same time that the caucuses and primaries are in full swing. We will be able utilize current events as we go along.

"I can also share with students my own experiences working on a presidential campaign. I worked for Senator Paul Simon of Illinois when he ran for the Democratic nomination in 1988. It was an exciting time and I learned how much I did not know about the realities of national politics."

Both courses are three-credit courses and are offered to full- and part-time students. Senior citizens can also audit these courses for free, if space is available. For further information contact Derek Maxfield at 343-0055, ext. 6288, or DDMaxfield@genesee.edu.

Press release:

The Genesee Center for the Arts at Genesee Community College is pleased to announce the calendar of spring events for its 20th season at the Stuart Steiner Theatre. The Center for the Arts is proud to bring in a jam-packed schedule with a variety of artists and productions to the community at large.

Live Performances in the Stuart Steiner Theatre:

"Extremities" by William Mastrisimone, staged by the Aegis Project of Buffalo, for one performance at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16. The Aegis Project is an initiative to raise rape awareness through theatrical productions on college campuses throughout the region. Tickets are $3 for all ages and all proceeds go to the Aegis Project for local rape awareness projects. Please note this production is appropriate for ages 16 and over.

Hailed as "WNY's Father of Country Music," Ramblin' Lou brings his Family Band, to the Genesee Center for the Arts for an afternoon of classic country music beginning at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19. Tickets are $10 adults, $8 seniors (55+), $5 students and GCC faculty/staff, $3 GCC students with valid ID and $2 discount for GCC alumni with alumni card.

Genesee's Forum Players present "God's Favorite," a Neil Simon comedy, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, March 29 - 31, with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. on April 1. Directed by Maryanne Arena, this is a modern tale, loosely based on the Book of Job, in which God and Satan make a bet, and God puts his trust in Joe, a wealthy businessman living with his family in suburban Long Island, to keep his faith. God's messenger, sent to test Joe's faith, is a wisecracking guy from Queens. Simon poses questions about life, but never loses his sense of humor! Tickets are $8 adults, $5 seniors (55+), students, and GCC faculty/staff, $3 GCC students with valid ID. No children under the age of 5 permitted. Please note that this production is appropriate for ages 16 and over.

The Genesee Center for the Arts continues its commitment to introducing performing arts to children, families, and schools throughout the Western New York area with "The Princess and the Goblin" by Stuart Paterson, a magical tale of young Princess Irene finding the strength to take on the world. Packed with fun and adventure, it's a rich and magical play for the entire family! The Genesee Forum Players featuring GCC students as the cast and crew, and Norm Gayford, GCC English professor will be directing. Daytime performance dates are scheduled for Wednesday, April 18, Thursday, April 19 and Friday, April 20, with invitations sent to all the local schools. There will be one public performance at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 20. Tickets are $8 adults, $5 seniors (55+), students, and GCC faculty/staff, and $3 GCC students with valid ID and $2 discount for GCC alumni with alumni card. Children under the age of 12 free!

The Fine and Performing Arts Committee at the Genesee Center for the Arts is participating in March's Arts Awareness Week with two workshops that are free and open to the public. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 27 in the Forum of Batavia's main campus, local artists will be demonstrating origami, bookbinding, pottery, needle felting, painting, photography and more in hands-on workshops. On Thursday, March 29, Jeffrey Sweet will be presenting a workshop on playwriting, as well as doing a one-man performance of "You Only Shoot the Ones You Love." Please note that this short play is appropriate for ages 16 and over.

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra returns to Genesee Community College for its 64th season with one performance at the Stuart Steiner Theatre: "Musical Safari" at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26. A second concert, "Musical Salute," is scheduled at 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 29 at the Elba Central School auditorium. Tickets are $12 adults, $8 seniors (62+), $5 students (18 and under or GCC students with a valid ID) or $30 family (parent plus children 12 and under). For full schedule and tickets, visit the GSO at www.geneseesymphony.com

A special GCASA jazz event taking place at the Stuart Steiner Theatre will be the Glenn Miller Orchestra, with an opening act of the Genesee-Orleans All-Star Jazz Ensemble, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 4. This is a fundraising event for GCASA, and tickets are $30 adults, $15 seniors (65+) and $15 students with ID. All tickets are general seating and expected to sell out early, so get your tickets soon at Roxy's Music Store and the GCASA office in Batavia. The Genesee Center for the Arts Box Office will also have tickets available, cash or check only for this event, but call ahead to check tickets availability.

The last event of the season is a collaborative event with the Genesee County Mental Health Association and Maryanne Arena, director of fine and performing arts at GCC. A one-act play by Marsha Norman " 'Night, Mother" will be performed at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 11. Starring Maryanne and Jaime Arena, it features a daughter, Jessie, and her mother, Thelma, in a story about suicide. For ticket prices and selling locations, visit GCMHA at www.gcmha.org. All proceeds will benefit GCMHA. Please note that this play is appropriate for ages 16 and over.

For general information, contact the Genesee Center for the Arts Box Office at 345-6814, or by email at boxoffice@genesee.edu. For door-to-door directions sent via email, visit www.genesee.edu.

Organizational expert, best-selling author, and local entrepreneur Jennifer Ford Berry will visit Present Tense at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21 to sign copies of her "Organize Now!" books and provide tips to help you get you organized and on track to meet your goals in the new year.

Berry’s first book "Organize Now: a week-by-week guide to simplify your space and your life" has sold more than 200,000 copies worldwide. The expanded edition, which was released in 2010, includes lots of new tips including money-saving ideas and a new section on creating organized routines. Check lists, tips and goals allow readers to organize quickly and see immediate results.

In addition, Berry recently published "Organize Now: 12 month home and activity planner," the perfect planner to help you effectively organize your schedule and keep track of your appointments and daily to-do lists; and "Organize Now: your money, business and career," which addresses the organizing issues faced in an office environment, in a home-office environment, during a job search, and starting a business. It offers strategies for organizing the paperwork related to personal finances including bill paying systems, tax receipts, insurance papers, investment planning and more. All three titles will be available for purchase at the book-signing event.

Berry is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla. She resides in Western New York where she continues to work hands-on with her clients helping them to eliminate clutter and live their dreams.

The book signing is free and open to the public. Present Tense, a locally owned, independent bookstore, is located at 101 Washington Ave. in the City of Batavia. For more information call 815-7640 or visit www.presenttensebooks.com <http://www.presenttensebooks.com>.

Do you make New Year’s Resolutions to improve certain areas of your life?

Can you invest six weeks to improve your public speaking abilities? 

Speechcraft is a six week public speaking course developed by Toastmasters International.

Dates:  Tuesdays, January 17 to February 21

Time: 7:00 to 9:00 pm

Place: 1 Mill Street, Batavia NY

Cost: $30.00

Call: 585-343-2640

e-Mail: speakup@rochester.rr.com

Seating is limited so PLEASE sign up quickly if you are interested.

Present Tense Books in Batavia will offer four new creative writing courses during the winter semester, beginning at the end of this month.

They are:

• Writing Memoir & Autobiography
• Constructing Your Novel
• The Art of the Short Story
• Writing Poetry

Classes are held Saturdays at the bookstore, located at 101 Washington Ave. The morning class runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The afternoon class runs from 1:45 to 3:45 p.m.

Two five-week sessions of instruction will be offered:

• Session I: Jan. 28 – Feb. 25
• Session II: March 3 – 31

The fee for each course is $89 and includes individual conferences with the instructor, retired literature professor and regional novelist Bob Comenole.

The workshops are scheduled based on demand — that is, the first class to fill up will be the first taught, and so on. Participants will have the opportunity to express their preferences for which class time and which sessions they desire.

To register, please visit the registration site by clicking here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/winter2012batavia

Classes are limited to only 12 students, so sign up today!

They are designed for both beginning writers who wish to learn fundamental techniques and seasoned writers wishing to acquire more advanced skills; there are no prerequisites.

About the instructor: For more than 20 years Bob Comenole has taught writing, literature and communications at several colleges, including Miami University, Siena College, the State University of New York and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is the author of "Bushel & Lamp" and the novella "The Long Night of Clement C. Craggogre" and has just completed work on a collection of short stories, "Perplexed by the Egg & Other Stories," as well as a collection of essays. He was also the producer of the children’s television series, StoryBrook.

To view what past students have said about the writing workshops,
visit: http://infinitelycurious.us/Waterline/students.html

For a description of each course, visit:

http://infinitelycurious.us/Waterline/courses/

Call or visit the store for further details on the workshops or to sign up. Phone is 815-7640.

http://www.presenttensebooks.com

The Genesee Community College Foundation is seeking nominations for its Alumni Hall of Fame, which recognizes those alumni who have achieved outstanding success and made a lasting impact on the community. The foundation will induct its sixth group of honorees in a ceremony on May 2 at the Batavia campus.

"We are eager to honor more of Genesee Community College's best and brightest graduates," said Jackie Christenson, GCC's alumni coordinator. "Each year we have the great pleasure of recognizing alumni supporters of the college that have contributed significantly to the vitality of their communities."

The criteria for nominating an individual to the Alumni Hall of Fame are based on the individual's contributions to his or her profession, distinguished service to the community and/or service to Genesee Community College.

Nomination forms can be downloaded from GCC's alumni website (www.genesee.edu/alumni/HallofFame/) and emailed or sent to the college's Alumni Office.

Nominations may be submitted by the nominee or by friends, family, work associates or other colleagues who are familiar with the nominee. All nominations received by Wednesday, Feb. 1 will be considered by the selection committee.

New inductees will be honored at a reception, and their photo and a short biography will be featured on a plaque displayed in the Alumni Hall of Fame, located on the second floor of the Conable Technology Building.

For the full list of previously inducted Alumni Hall of Fame members please visit www.genesee.edu/Alumni/HallofFame.

John Lamond of WYRK will emcee the annual Corfu-Pembroke Community Winterfest. This year's focus is the Town of Pembroke's Bicentennial, hosted by Town historian Al Starkweather.

The event will be held from 1 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28 at the community center, 116 E. Main St. in Corfu.

Entertainment includes the musical talents of the Craig Wilkins Band and the local community band.

Special free activities for the children include: K-9 demonstration; ice skating; sledding; bonfire; Boy Scout campsite; snake and reptile display; clowns; balloons; magic shows; Mr. Scribbles cartooning; and Bopping Heads videos.

There will also be fire department displays and an open house to see the equipment!

Food and beverages are a available for purchase with all proceeds going to local organizations such as Dollars for Scholars, Corfu Free Library, Pembroke Youth Association, Kiwanis Club, High Point Church and the Pembroke Class of 2012.

Food items include: chicken BBQ (presale tickets available at the Corfu Free Library), beef on weck, pizza, hot dogs, smoked turkey sandwiches, taco-in-a-bag; and a host of other items.

With so much good food for lunch and dinner it is easy to make a day of it and you nor your children will be bored! Bring a canned good or other non-perishable food item and be entered into the drawings for door prizes.

This event is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a re-grant of the New York State Council on the Arts, the Town of Pembroke and the Village of Corfu.

This information was provided by James Renfrew.

Free Spaghetti Dinner: Pasta for Peace

The third “Pasta for Peace” free spaghetti dinner, will be held on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., in Batavia. Former Sheriff Doug Call will be the featured speaker.

Call was recently honored by Genesee County Democratic Party leaders for his long commitment to public service.

He will be drawing upon his many years in Criminal Justice including:  7 years Air Force Judge Advocate; 4 years as Assistant County Attorney prosecuting cases in Family Court (400 appearances per year); 7 years as County Sheriff; 2 years as Director of Public Safety in Rochester; many years in the private practice of Law; and his 12 years as Town Justice adjudicating criminal cases.  He was a recognized innovator and demonstrated his concern for all parties.

Mr. Call says that the principal step to peace is "To Walk in the Other's Moccasins." He adds, “The promotion of peace among peoples, in my experience, requires a level of understanding and empathy for one another (the golden rule in action).” Known and respected by many in Genesee County for years, accepts Ralph Waldo Emerson’s summary as the path to peace, “"Peace cannot be achieved through violence. It can only be gained through understanding.”

The event is sponsored by Pax Christi Genesee County. Pax Christi is part of the International and National Catholic Peace Movement, but operates on an interfaith basis locally. Pax Christi hopes that increased local understanding will reduce violence.

A Toastmasters meeting is a learn-by-doing workshop in which participants develop their speaking and leadership skills in a no-pressure atmosphere.

If you are interested in improving your communication skills, this program may be what you are looking for. We encourage visitors to discover how they can benefit from participating.

There is no cost to attend and you do not need a reservation.

We meet at 1 Mill Street, Batavia, NY.

We arrive at 7:00 pm and the meeting ends at 8:45 pm.

When you enter the building it is the first office on the left.

For more information visit our website at

www.speakuptoastmasters.org or call Linda at 585-343-2640.

Snowshoes are available to rent at the Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center during the months of January, February, and March, weather permitting. Rentals are on a first-come-first-serve basis and must be used at the park.

Cost is $5/pair. Hours for rentals: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 12 to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center is located at 11095 Bethany Center Road in East Bethany. For more information, call 344-1122.

Press release

The Genesee Community College Foundation is pleased to announce the brand new Agricultural Division of the Annual Campaign. Spanning across all counties in the GLOW region, the ag Campaign is a new division to the annual campaign that aims to raise funds for student scholarships.

Peter Call, overall chair for the Foundation's ag campaign, notes that "Agriculture is the driving economic force in this area. Growth on our farms and ag businesses, as well as the growing opportunities for ag careers in the GLOW region, will provide GCC students with many options to choose from."

Letters are being sent from the GLOW area ag chairs, and Call is hopeful that the ag community will generously support the Foundation's ag campaign this year. It will be a wise investment for the future of the ag community as well as the GLOW region.

In addition to being overall campaign chair, Call will oversee the Genesee County area.

The Genesee Community College Foundation was formed in the mid-'80s as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing service to and support of the college. Its 30-member board of directors is comprised of business and civic leaders, and provides funding for student scholarships and grants.

Contributions for support of the college programs and students may be sent to the GCC Foundation, One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020. For more information contact the Foundation (585) 345-6809 or foundation@genesee.edu.

Press release:

On Tuesday, December 13, 2011 from 7-9pm, the Genesee County Bar Association will conduct its 3rd seminar in the People’s Law Series title “Small Claims, Big Claims and other Civil Matters”. 

The seminar will be held at Genesee Community College and presented by Batavia City Court Judges Robert Balbick and Michael DelPlato.  

The “Citizen’s Law Series,” is a legal educational series designed to educate residents with practical legal information on a number of common legal actions. 

“The legal series is designed to increase public awareness and knowledge of the legal system and how it works.  Each two hour seminar will give the attendees practical information about timely legal issues including topics such as criminal law, wills and estates and small claims and civil actions.  We are hoping that we can continue this series in the future on different topics as well,” noted Durin B. Rogers, Esq, President of the Genesee County Bar Association (GCBA). 

Raymon Chaya, GCC’s Director of the BEST Center, approached the GCBA with the collaborative idea earlier this year after hearing about the great success the Jamestown community had with its program. 

“Big decisions require first knowing what information you need to know and what questions you need to ask.  Making a decision to take legal action is serious and knowing basic information about a specific area of law and the legal process involved can save time and money in addition to minimizing personal, emotional, and social difficulties,” said Chaya. 

This valuable educational outreach opportunity will be presented by experienced practicing attorneys who can describe in common terms what an appropriate action is, what the law covers as well what you are likely to experience during the process.  

GCBA’s Citizen’s Law Series Committee Chairperson, Lisa M. Kroemer, Esq. noted why she became involved in the program.  “I feel very strongly that as attorneys we should spend some of our time educating the public . . .”   

All times will be 7pm-9pm at GCC and cost $10 for each 2 hour course attended.  Those interested in attending the two hour session may register by contacting the BEST Center at 585-345-6868. 

Submitted by Julie Tarbell:

The Genesee County Aces robotics team participated at the Finger Lakes First Lego League Championship Tournament on Sunday, December 4th at the University of Rochester.  Thirty-six teams from as far away as Ithaca and Erie, Pennsylvania gave their food safety presentations, discussed their robotic design and programming techniques, demonstrated their teamwork skills, and competed in an autonomous robot game in the day long event.

Aces achieved the third highest score of 203 in the Robot Game. The Champions from last year's tournament, Lego Lambs, scored 220.  The Electric Dreams from Erie, Pennsylvania scored 219.

The participants enjoyed many fun activities.  The U of R Yellow Jackets, an a Capella group, performed.

Pictured from front to back, left to right are Colton Tarbell (team assistant), Jomni Tarbell, Clayton Fox, Trevor Zauner, Quinton Tarbell, and Lukas Johnson.

Ferrellgas, located at 655 Ellicott St. in Batavia, is holding its first Toy Drive to benefit Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.

The toy drive will allow residents to drop off a new, unwrapped toy in its original packaging and, in exchange, receive a FREE certificate toward a BBQ tank refill.

Toys can be dropped off at 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Ellicott Street facility. Or Ferrellgas customers may call the office at (585) 343-9460 to arrange toy pick-ups at their home if needed.

(Earlier this year, Ferrellgas raised more than $3,000 for the Genesee Cancer Assistance fund by staging its second annual Refill-Athon, allowing residents to bring in their BBQ tanks for a free fill in lieu of a small donation.)

The Batavia High School Senior Class is hosting a Vendor Blender
fundraiser from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday Dec. 2 in the cafeteria.

This is a great opportunity for holiday shopping!

Here are the participating vendors:

Tupperware, Team Apparel, Avon, Hollister, Uppercase Living, Longaberger, The Pampered Chef, Columbia Sportswear Company, Mary Kay, Cookie Lee, thirty-one, Scentsy, at home America, The North Face, Celebrating Home, Tastefully Simple.

Le Roy Winterfest 2011 will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3. Stroll through the village and visit all the participating businesses to get a full card for Business Bingo.

All full-card Bingo sheets must be turned in at the Community Holiday Bazaar by 3 p.m. this Saturday at the Moose Family Center on Bank Street in order to be entered into a drawing for prizes. Plus, vote on your favorite window display (see front of Bingo cards).

Cafe Le Roy will be offering a free scoop of ice cream to everyone. Santa Claus will arrive at the Community Holiday Bazaar at 1 p.m. Follow his parade down Main Street to the Moose Family Center.

Community Holiday Bazaar at the Moose Lodge will feature more than 15 vendors raising money for the LCCP, Backpack Fund, and Le Roy Food Pantry. Non-perishable food and canned goods will be collected at the bazaar. Donors get one raffle ticket for each item donated or they can buy tickets.

There will be an LCCP Bake Sale at the Moose. Gift wrapping available at the bazaar (donations accepted). Town of Le Roy building will be open with a child craft/activity and restrooms.

An inflatable playground will be at the fire hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Woodward Memorial Library will host Village Harpers from 3-3:30 p.m., enjoy the movie "Polar Express"  and eat popcorn starting at 10:15 a.m., and a craft to take home while supplies last.

The 10th Annual Celebrate Agriculture Dinner has been set for Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 6 pm at the Alexander Fire Hall, Rt. 98 in Alexander. This event is a celebration of the number one industry in Genesee County – Agriculture. The dinner is open to the public. This extremely popular community tradition has become firmly established as a festive, fun filled opportunity to come together and socialize before the beginning of yet another growing season. Dinner tickets go on sale December 1st. A limited number of tickets will be sold and last year the event sold out by early January! Tickets may be purchased for $25 each or $230 for a table of ten from the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce. Stop by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce located at 210 East Main St. in Batavia or call the office at 585-343-7440 ext. 27. 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 and Genesee County Farm Bureau.