Alden Snell, standing, organist of the Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church, watches David Carmer as he tries out the newly restored organ at the church. Carmer is the organist at Trinity Lutheran Church in Medina. The two became friends when Carmer was organist of the church where Snell’s father was pastor. Submitted photo.
The Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church has just completed a huge organ renovation project, and to thank the community for its support, the church is holding a series of free musical concerts.
“The renovation of the church pipe organ was a huge undertaking for our church,” said Gregg McAllister of Batavia, a longstanding member of the church who volunteered his time to promote the renovation and fundraising. “Church members wanted to offer something special to the community to celebrate, so they planned this concert series.”
How many times have you driven in downtown Batavia and never noticed there are more than 20 murals between Jackson, Ellicott, and Bank Streets? The Leadership Genesee (LG) Class of 2024 discovered them during a ‘scavenger hunt’ activity on March 27, LG Arts & Culture Day.
One participant shared, “The scavenger hunt allowed us to really observe the murals. How often I drive by these murals and don’t really notice the detail or the extent of artwork on display. Some of the murals I have never seen or noticed (like the one on the fire hydrant). Art can be made anywhere!”
Leadership Genesee Our Arts & Culture Day works to raise awareness about arts initiatives and activities in Genesee County and reveal some of our cultural history and traditions. “This month's topic really encouraged me to think about my personal background and heritage. Our community is so diverse!” said one participant.
The group met at Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (Go Art!) for the morning hearing from Gregory Hallock LG ’18, Executive Director, about how the organization has grown over the past several years. The organization is dedicated to developing the cultural life in Genesee and Orleans Counties by facilitating the creation, presentation, and experience of art, heritage, and traditions. The facility has a dance studio, podcast studio, displayed art, open mic sessions, Tavern 2.o.1 as well as offering community events. The class had the opportunity to tour the facility and participate in a Bollywood Dance session.
Terry Abrams LG ’07, Curator/ Collections Manager, Niagara County Historical Society, shared information about The Tonawanda Seneca Nation, our neighbors in Genesee County. Terry spoke of Seneca's history and culture and how their values remain strong and intact. Language, song, art, dance, and sports are all vital aspects of Seneca culture.
After a tour of Main St. 56 Theater and learning about the initiatives from Batavia Players to bring additional live theater to Genesee County and offer options to kids for theater camps, the group visited The Harve in the Harvester Center. The Harve is a 7,000-square-foot hidden gem of art and music! Nestled within The Harvester Center with its entrance just through Pub Coffee Hub this vibrant venue is a haven for creativity and entertainment.
After sharing stories of their cultural heritage, the group participated in a drum circle led by Jackie Swaby, Executive Director of the Arts Council for Wyoming County. Jackie not only shared her expertise in drumming but the background and significance of drumming. The group ended the day by participating in activities to create their own stories through art.
Leadership Genesee is a program of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, an employer, and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities, and provides equal program and employment opportunities.
For more information, visit LG’s website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/leadership-genesee; “like” LG on Facebook at www.facebook.com/leadershipgenesee; or contact Program Director Peggy Marone at (585) 343-3040, ext. 118 or mem77@cornell.edu.
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today voted in favor of the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, the largest intelligence reform package since FISA’s creation in 1978. This legislation prevents the FBI from targeting Americans, increases transparency and accountability in our intelligence community, and strengthens our national security.
H.R. 7888, passed the House by a vote of 273-147.
“At a time when our adversaries are ramping up their intelligence and military capabilities and seeking to orchestrate attacks on our homeland, we must ensure that our intelligence community has the capabilities to swiftly counteract and prevent terrorist attacks,” said Congresswoman Tenney.
“Section 702, which applies only to foreigners outside the United States, is the most critical tool to keeping America safe, whether it is countering Cyber Attacks, hindering the flow of deadly fentanyl into our country, or averting threats from China, Iran, and foreign terrorist organizations. Our Republican Majority is committed to preventing another Russia Hoax FISA disaster and ensuring that FISA can no longer be abused to target Americans and political adversaries. The abuses by the FBI have been outrageous and unlawful. I support Representative Mike Garcia’s condemnation of FBI Director Wray for failing to uphold the law and holding those who violated our laws accountable. This legislation provides 56 reforms to current law, including reducing the number of FBI agents who can perform Section 702 searches by 90 percent, and enhances criminal penalties for those who violate FISA, leak FISA applications, or lie to the FISA Court. Importantly, this bill also prohibits vague “abouts” searches that make broad sweeping searches of data.”
“This bill does not include a dangerous proposal that would have granted Fourth Amendment rights to foreign nationals by requiring a warrant to search foreign surveillance data already lawfully collected by our national security agencies. Under existing law, national security agencies already require a warrant to collect data and take any action against U.S. citizens. This amendment would hamper important law enforcement efforts to protect Americans and would further the radical Defund and Demoralize the Police movement that has been codified by New York’s Greenlight and Bail Reform laws. Approximately 90 percent of individuals on the terror watch list have crossed our Northern Border illegally, leaving New York particularly vulnerable to terror threats. Section 702 is a critical tool for law enforcement to protect New Yorkers and all Americans. By not reauthorizing a substantially reformed Section 702, we would have allowed our foreign adversaries to plan terrorist attacks without our knowledge. This would give our enemies the ability to undermine our freedoms and orchestrate attacks on our soil. As a Constitutional lawyer, I remain dedicated to protecting our civil liberties and privacy while defending our national security. This bill furthers the reforms to Section 702, which was made by and supported by President Trump in 2017, and I was honored to support its passage.”
Cole Grazioplene hits a three-run RBI double. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Batavia piled on the runs against Pittsford-Sutherland on Saturday behind a strong outing by pitcher Bronx Bucholz for a 10-4 win.
Bucholz notched a complete-game victory, going evening innings, giving up only four hits and whiffing five batters.
The Blue Devils were two 2-0 after two winnings. In the third, Evan Alexander doubled, followed by walk to Maggio Bucholze. Carter Mullen laid down a bunt and beat out the throw to load the bases. Col Grazioplene cleared the bases with a double. Dane Dombrowski followed with an RBI single, giving Batavia a 4-2 lead.
Pittsford-Sutherland tied the game in the fourth inning.
In the seventh, Grazioplene reached on a single. Ryan Fazio singled. Then Dombrowski singles to load the bases. Mekhi Fortes, in the clean-up spot, did just that with a grand slam over the leftfield fence.
Jameson Motkyka also hit a bomb on the next pitch.
Stats:
Mekhi Fortes 2-3, RBI Single, grand slam, five RBIs
Cole Grazioplene 3-4 ,double, two RBIs two Runs scored
Dane Dombrowski 3-4, RBI, run scored
Evan Alexander 2-4, two doubles
Jameson Motyka 1-4, HR
The Blue Devils are now 2-4 (2-1 in league play). They play Sutherland again at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Dwyer Stadium.
April 14-20 is Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Awareness Week. This provides an opportunity to raise awareness about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and how they impact our lives.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sexually transmitted infections, commonly referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are very common. STIs spread through anal, oral, and vaginal sex, and are caused by a virus, bacteria, fungus, or parasite. Sometimes, STIs only create minor symptoms, or they don't cause any symptoms at all. As a result, it is easy to get infected without realizing it. For this reason, if you are having sex, it is important that you get tested for STIs.
Locally, according to the New York State Communicable Disease Electronic Surveillance System (CDESS), in 2023, Genesee County had an increased number of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis cases, compared to 2022 and Orleans County experienced an increase in gonorrhea during this same time period.
A variety of symptoms, including none at all, may occur with STIs. As a result, STIs can be spread unknowingly and this is why it is important to get tested. Delayed treatment can cause serious health effects. STI symptoms could be:
Sores or pimples in the oral or rectal cavity, as well as on the genitalia
Painful urination
Unusual or smelly discharge
Unusual bleeding
Discomfort during intercourse
Aches in the lower abdomen
High temperature
Rash on the hands, feet, or trunk
Taking the time to learn about STIs, safe-sex practices, and how to make educated decisions is important in prevention. Here are some ways to prevent STIs:
The best defense against STI infection is to avoid all forms of sex (oral, vaginal, and anal).
Talk to your healthcare provider about getting vaccinated against Hepatitis B and HPV. Receiving both vaccines can prevent several kinds of cancer. HPV is the most common STI in the country, affecting over 79 million people.
Limit sexual partners. The more sexual partners a person has the more at risk of getting an STI.
Discuss your partner(s)’ STI status.
Use condoms and or other forms of protection.
“As indicated or needed, make sure you routinely test for STIs,” stated Brenden Bedard, Director of Community Health Services for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Untreated STIs can have effects such as infection, miscarriage, infertility, and an increased risk of cancer. By engaging in preventative measures, you are protecting yourself and your sexual partners.”
Learn how to prevent STIs for both you and your partner(s). Get help today.
If you are interested in STI testing or want more information:
Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Information from CDC.
Talk with your healthcare provider about testing and how to further prevent STIs.
If diagnosed with an STI, do not have sex until you and your partner(s) have completed treatment, otherwise, reinfection will occur.
If diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis, talk to your provider about Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT). EPT gives providers the option to treat your sexual partners without requiring an examination.
For more information about GO Health programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or contact your local health department at:
Genesee County: 585-344-2580 ext. 5555
Orleans County: 585-589-3278
Follow GO Health on Facebook, Instagram, and X at GOHealthNY.
As the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation enters its 17th year, it is extremely proud of the accomplishments of this grassroots organization.
After the passing of Michael Napoleone at the age of 8 due to a pediatric cancer diagnosis, the Foundation was created in his memory to pay forward to all those who assisted, to give back to those in need, and to Lend a Hand for Hope.
As its main purpose and mission, the Foundation assists families with the challenges of cancer. The Foundation has close ties to both Oshei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo and Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester. In addition to helping families, it assists the Social Work and Childlife teams with needed items for the continuing care of the families and the children during their hospital stays.
The Grant Committee recently met and selected the grant winners for the 2024 year. Letters and checks will be distributed by the end of the month and the information will be shared in the media.
Though the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation will not be hosting the Derby Day Gala, it is hopeful and excited as it moves to a new strategic fundraising plan to provide long-term sustainability for our mission and organization.
The first step in moving in a new direction is the Heroes for Hope Campaign (https://michaelshope.org/hero-for-hope-campaign). Your donation will continue to provide needed funds to support the mission.
To date, the Foundation, with only a volunteer board, has raised over a million dollars and has continued its mission with less than 3% of funding going to administrative costs. Our giving is as follows:
Over $725,000 in assistance to families with the challenges of a pediatric diagnosis
Over $95,000 to support research in pediatric blood cancers
Over $75,000 to assist youth activities/sports through grant funding
$50,000 to Golisano Children’s Hospital, Rochester
$25,000 to United Memorial Medical Center, Batavia
Annual giving to Oshei and Golisano Childlife Therapy Teams
Again, the numbers speak volumes of the assistance the Foundation has been able to offer due to the generosity of our donors. We are committed to continuing this mission. Whether through donations, volunteering, sponsorships, or attending our events, it is all because of you that we can and will continue to Lend a Hand for Hope.
The Batavia Youth Baseball League is hosting a Field Clean Up to get ready for the upcoming baseball season.
Any local families registered to play this season or community volunteers interested in helping can show up at MacArthur Park on Denio Street, Batavia this coming weekend.
Come help on either Friday, April 19 from 4 – 6 p.m. or Saturday, April 20 from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
During Field Clean-Up times, the Batavia Youth Baseball League will also be taking any donations of used baseball equipment for youth in need this season. The league will also be offering youth baseball pants to players who need pants for upcoming practices.
The Pembroke Dragons triumphed over the Byron-Bergen squad 9-2 on Monday.
Hayden Williams led the way from the pitcher's mound, dominating with 13 strikeouts.
Jayden Bridge emerged as a standout player at the plate, going 3-4 with two doubles, driving in crucial runs and keeping the pressure on the Bee's defense.
Anthony Abbatiello also went 3-4.
Speed also proved to be a weapon for the Dragons, with the team racking up 6 stolen bases. Landon Santini swiped three himself.
In his first victory as the head Varsity Coach for the Dragons, Coach Lang expressed immense pride in his team's effort and dedication. The win not only highlights the talent of the players but also speaks volumes about the resilience and determination of the entire team, he said.
The Genesee Region USBC will be conducting its Annual Banquet & Hall of Fame Dinner on Saturday, May 11 at Batavia Downs Gaming’s Genesee Banquet Room.
The event will get underway at 6 p.m. with a memorial service in honor of members of the bowling community who passed away over the last year.
Highlights of the evening include the induction of brothers Tim and Tom Rohl into the association’s Hall of Fame in the Bowling Achievement category, presentation of the Barbara J. Kreiley Memorial Scholarship and recognition of tournament and regular season league champions.
Election of officers and directors also will take place, along with voting to raise the annual Standard and Local Only Adult membership dues by $1.
The cost of the buffet dinner is $35, with the following exceptions:
NO CHARGE – GRUSBC directors, Adult Tournament Champions (limit one tournament only), Youth Tournament Champions and one guest (limit one tournament only), guest speaker and one guest, Hall of Fame inductees and one guest.
$20 PER PERSON – Past GRUSBC Hall of Famers, league secretary or representative (limit one per league).
The reservation deadline is May 4. The banquet is open to all GRUSBC members, with a reservation deadline of May 4.
Please RSVP by sending an email to mikep@bowlgr.com or by calling 585-343-3736.
ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENT CONCLUDES
The 17th Genesee Region USBC Association Tournament concluded this afternoon at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.
Unofficial winners of the various divisions are as follows:
Open Team -- Christ Recycling, Albion, 2,860. Robbie Hanks' 300 game and 805 series on the tournament's opening squad sparked the team to the big score and it held on for first place. Other team members were Albert Burch (631), Larry Boyce (523) and Marvin Christ (483). The team received 418 pins handicap.
Women's Team -- Splitz & Giggles, Albion, 2,501. Barbara Casavant posted 604 scratch to lead the way. Other members were Sharon Stefanini (306), Tiffany Crawford (522) and Breanna Seever (502). The team received 590 pins handicap.
Open Doubles -- Daryl Dillon & Greg Gilman, Albion, 1,524. Bowling on the final squad on Sunday, Dillon registered 682 and Gilman rolled 651 for 1,333 scratch plus 191 pins handicap.
Women's Doubles -- Karen Allis & Jane Chaddock, Batavia, 1,284. Chaddock posted 566 and Allis had 532 on the second to last squad of the tournament. They received 186 pins handicap.
Open Singles -- Jeremy Yasses, Oakfield, 781. Yasses recorded games of 246-211-235 for 692 scratch. With his 89 pins handicap (based on 192 average), he took the lead on the Sunday morning squad.
Women's Singles -- Breanna Seever, Albion, 654. Seever started with a 211 game and went on to roll 522 scratch. Her 132 pins handicap enabled her to top the leaderboard, and she went on to place first in Women's All-Events as well.
Open All-Events -- Scott Culp, Honeoye Falls-Lima, 2,262. Culp put up the winning score without the benefit of handicap. His three series were 747 (Team), 773 (Doubles) and 742 (Singles).
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New Justice For Children Advocacy Center Program Coordinator Trisha Reynolds. Photo by Joanne Beck
There are some career paths that seem so riddled with potential pain, that there might not seem like an adequate answer for why one chooses it.
Yet, time and time again, there are people willing to step up and take on the grimy jobs, such as fighting for children who have been sexually or physically abused or who have witnessed violence.
Enter Trisha Reynolds, Genesee County’s new Justice for Children Advocacy Center programcoordinator. As it seems with her predecessors, Reynolds attributes one main reason for her interest.
“It's difficult work. But that's my passion, for sure. Working with crime victims and children when I was in CPS was really what I felt like I was meant to be doing. I took a break from it to work in (the Department of Corrections), and working with offenders was eye-opening,” she said after the county’s Public Service meeting. “So it was a great experience. But doing that, I kind of kept feeling that tug. I knew I had to go back to working with victims.”
Reynolds, a resident of Corfu with a background in social work, has worked for the Wyoming County Department of Social Services for 10 years, first in preventive foster care as a child and adult protective senior caseworker and then at Wyoming Correctional Facility.
“So for me, the crossover between social work and law enforcement is just a place I feel really strongly about, so it’s a great opportunity. I did Child Protective Services for the majority of my time there; we would investigate reports of abuse and neglect,” she said.
The current CAC is housed at 304 E. Main St. in Batavia and has a staff of six people, including a therapist who gets fairly booked up. During the meeting, Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein said that she was "stunned" at how many mental health appointments have been offered at the center.
As new at the agency, what is most important when working with this population? “To be real. When you're working with kids, the most important thing is to get them to connect with you, and just to be real and be open and honest,” Reynolds said. “The kids that we work with are victims of someone or something. So they've been through a lot, they may have trust issues, they don't feel a lot of control. So we really try to give them a safe place where they feel comfortable.
“We try to empower them, give them choices, and let them know what they can do in their life to move forward,” she said, listing the staff positions. “We have a lead family advocate. And then we have two family advocates under her. And then we have a couple part-time staff, we have a part-time fiscal officer. And then we have a full-time therapist and a part-time therapist … they're always offered the service regardless of why they're there or what they may or may not disclose. They're always offered the service. We do find a lot of people do take advantage of it. There is a shortage of child therapists, trauma therapists, and crisis therapists in the area, especially to deal with children. So, unfortunately, it's hard to find help. And a lot of places do have waitlists, and we're approaching a waitlist as well.”
According to the agency’s first quarter report, there were 135 mental health therapy sessions from January to April 4 of this year.
So far in 2024, 54 new cases have been opened, 127 children, caregivers and family members have been served, 201 counseling sessions have been provided, two medical exams and 46 forensic interviews have been conducted.
During that three-month period, there were 235 advocacy/consultations with law enforcement and 338 with the Department of Social Services.
Reynolds began her new position on eclipse day, April 8. Her biggest challenge is the volume of information to consume and digest, she said.
“There's so much to learn. There's a lot to learn, especially with the administrative, the grants, the legislature, so that's all new to me,” she said. “Everyone's been very, very helpful. Particularly (Genesee Justice coordinator Diana Prinzi) has been amazing. So they're really throwing me right in. But I'm excited to be here and I think everyone's on the same page with what our mission is. And as long as we keep focused on that, the rest is kind of detail. And we can figure that out.”
Reynolds filled the vacancy left by former coordinator Theresa Roth, who received a certificate for her work of eight years serving citizens on behalf of Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.
The advocacy center has just been selected to receive a $18,000 grant from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. The grant will be used for the multidisciplinary team for a term that runs from March 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2024.
Another initiative to be on Reynolds’ plate will be a partnership with Genesee Justice to provide the YWCA of Genesee County with advocacy and referrals for adults in need of counseling services due to dating violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and stalking, and children in need of crisis counseling services, or trauma counseling services when a wait list exists, due to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
YWCA is applying for a grant that would pay for these services, and the agency, Genesee Justice and CAC are to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the arrangement. The Public Service Committee has agreed to pass it on to Ways & Means and then to the full Legislature for a final vote.
Thursday's town of Pembroke board meeting. Photo by Rachel Doktor.
Two days after more than 100 local residents turned up at a town of Pembroke board meeting to protest increased property assessments, the board voted in an emergency session on Saturday to roll back the increase for 2024.
Assessments will remain at the 2023 levels for 2024, said Supervisor Thomas C. Schneider Jr.
Property owners will receive written notice of the rollback to the 2023 assessments.
All scheduled meetings with the town's assessor have been canceled. A taxpayer information session scheduled for Wednesday was also canceled.
So many people turned out at Thursday's board meeting that the session was relocated from the board's chambers on Main Road to the Town Hall in the village of Corfu.
Rachel Doktor attended the meeting and provided The Batavian with photos of the full house. She said people are reporting the same experience she's had -- an astronomical assessment increase.
"Ours was raised over $100,000 just last year, and now they want another $84,000," Doktor said on Friday. "Basically, they're raising our assessments like crazy, and they're doing it again ... everyone is pissed about the assessment."
Doktor said she thinks property values have been going up because people are moving to the area from Buffalo and Rochester and "overpaying" for their new homes.
"All of these city people, they buy a huge home for $250,000 that in Rochester could cost a million dollars," Doktor said.
Schneider said his own assessment has gone up $350,000. He said the factors driving up home prices include the desirability of the Pembroke Central School District, Pembroke's proximity to Erie County, and easy access to the Thruway.
Pembroke has been a hotbed of growth the past couple of years, with new apartment buildings going up, a new mixed-use development opening, a new distribution center by the interchange, and a planned new travel plaza.
Property by the interchange, Schneider said, is going for $30,000 an acre. He expressed concern that those high commercial property values may have played too big of a role in determining residential property assessments. That was why he suggested on Friday, before the emergency meeting on Saturday, that a rollback to 2023 assessments might be in order.
"That needs to be looked at as part of the increase in her calculations," Schneider said.
The assessor is appointed for a seven-year term, and outside of hiring the assessor, the town board has no role in assessments, Schneider said.
"The board should remain independent of the assessor," Schneider said. "We don't want politicians assigning values to properties in my opinion and in the state's opinion, too."
The rollback, Schneider said, will allow a reassessment of the assessments.
"We need to dig into the data and see if there are structural deficiencies (in the calculations)," Schneider said. "We will roll it back for a year and talk with the assessor about where things might have gone awry."
GLOW Out! Executive Director Sara Vacin in her office at First Presbyterian Church in Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck
Sara Vacin is pretty stoked about this year’s GLOW Out! event, which will not only draw upon her prior theater background but has garnered the attention of the New York State Legislature, which awarded the nonprofit a mental health grant as one of about only five local recipients, she says.
The funding comes from a little box about funding mental health efforts that folks can voluntarily check when filing their tax returns. Initiated in 2016, this campaign has raised more than $100,000, which is doled out to programs based on an application that must be submitted for review and approval.
“So it's a real honor; it gets a lot of attention through the legislature because they're kind of a part of the funding and the whole process. But it is managed through the New York State Office of Mental Health. And I've been working with a person on their anti-stigma team for about a year now, preparing everything, which includes research, which is exciting,” Vacin said at her Batavia office as GLOW Out! executive director. “And a big part of the stigma program is measuring an impact. So everyone who comes through the theater eventually will have a pre and post-survey, and everyone going through the conference will also kind of get a pre-conference screening on stigma, you know, their beliefs, mental health stigma, would you get help? Wouldn't you get help? If you see people as being disabled, unworthy of opportunities, or you just get that it's another aspect of health, another part of us that we need to attend to.”
The grant will be used for GLOW OUT’s Rainbow Resilience Youth Conference. Free for attendees, it will be from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday at Genesee Community College, 1 College Road, Batavia.
“The conference is geared towards suicide prevention. It is for middle and high school students. And we explicitly intentionally reached out to the gender and sexuality alliances, the clubs in the various middle and high schools. We might see some schools or some people from out of the GLOW region, but we have I think seven schools at this point coming, and we have some individuals coming as well,” she said. “So if anyone wants to, they're welcome to come as individuals, come with their parents, come with some friends. Because we have kids who come to our drop-in center here, their middle school isn't going but we're all really well connected. So I reached out to their parents, and they're very excited to take them there.”
There are several workshops lined up, including:
Responding to suicide risk factors and warning signs
Understanding and overcoming mental health stigmas
Dealing with difficult family members
Knowing your rights and advocating for change
Beloved Arise: faith-based youth organization
Life on the stage with Roger Rosen
Self-care sessions also include topics of art, yoga, exploring spirituality, connecting with nature, journaling, healthy eating and mindfulness in motion.
Keynote speaker Ashton Daley, who serves as the youth/young adult recovery program director for Youth Voices Matter, is a “firm believer in serving his community, and in doing so has volunteered extensively through multiple recovery programs and currently as a youth mentor for trans-identifying young people in the Capital Region,” his bio states.
"And I think that's a part of the appeal because he gets our students. He'll be talking about his experiences; he's transgender, and he's from a rural area," she said. "He's now a social worker, and he serves on some pretty important committees for New York State. And he overcame some suicidal ideations and some substance use issues as well. So he can be quite the inspiration on many points to our youth.
The day is to also include a panel discussion featuring “LGBTQ inspirations” with:
Genesee County Mental Health Director Lynda Battaglia (she/her)
GLOW Out! Communications Director Lauren Berger (she/they)
Medina Village Trustee Jess Marciano (she/her)
Roger Rosen, actor and educator (he/him)
Ashton Daley (he/him)
And this is the starting point of the theater project, she said, and where her bachelors in theater will come in handy.
“After the keynote, I will be working with all of them at one point in the day or another, to do a workshop specific on anti-stigma, mental health stigma, that needed to get help, and also using theater. What's really neat is we learned so much through COVID about stigma and distance and how personal distance is a good way to measure how comfortable people are around each other. So theater games, where people get up on their feet, and move around, and I kind of lead them in a way that they get out of their heads. And then they kind of get led in a process to maybe feel some of this, rather than try to get it intellectually, they can get that part later," she said. "So it's a kind of deeper way to learn about stigma. And from there, we're taking Ashton's inspiration and asking them to help us with different scenarios that they see or they've experienced, as far as leading mental health support or issues with suicide. And after the conference, we're going to work together with this troupe and with all of my LGBTQ youth in the GLOW region, to take those scenarios and create them into scenes. And so the conference is the starting point, Ashton is the inspiration, but then the workshops lead to the creation of the scenes.
“We’ll be auditioning in all four counties for the troupe. It's an LGBTQ youth troupe. We're looking at individuals 14 to 18 years old. There's a four-night acting intensive in August, all paid for. It’s like a camp and acting intensive that we’re taking them to.”
Auditions will be in May, and the cast will be announced during PRIDE events in June, she said. The theater project then culminates in September and October with performances for the public, including Ashton Daley so that he can see what resulted in this beginning phase, Vacin said.
“And we're hoping that there's some deeper education that comes from it. So the cool part about the creation cycle and this LGBTQ theater troupe is that once it's done, we will be self-sustaining. You know, grant money ends but we'll have this troupe. And we'll have this really neat mechanism to help train people. And to help understand what it feels like being young and LGBTQ," she said. "One of my challenges has always been supporting parents. We have PFLAG, which is a group specifically to help parents and families. And most people reach out soon after their kids come out. And we just can't get the parents here. But you get your kid on stage, and you'll be in the front row. So we're hoping that this will work to educate the whole community in a really creative way."
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) announced today that his previously scheduled mobile office hours in Brockport on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 12 to 2 p.m. at the Seymour Library have been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. Hawley and his staff plan to reschedule these hours and will provide an update when more information is made available.
“I encourage everyone to visit as soon as we reschedule our office hours in Brockport. My office is ready to take your calls and help address your needs,” Hawley said.
You can contact Hawley’s office by phone at 585-589-5780, or by email at HawleyS@nyassembly.gov for more information.
The City of Batavia is seeking applications from income-qualified home owners for housing repairs.
The City of Batavia received federal Community Development Block Grant Funds (CDBG) to provide grant assistance to 10 income-qualified homeowners within the City of Batavia. The Residential Rehabilitation program offers assistance of up to $25,000 per structure for repairs and basic structural deficiencies. Repairs include foundation work, exterior work, roofing, siding, windows, heating, electrical, plumbing, and more.
Interested applicants should submit a Residential Rehabilitation Program application and accompanying documentation by June 1, 2024. For more information, details on program requirements, and applications visit https://www.batavianewyork.com/ or contact Julie Dahlie, Grants Administrator at jdahlie@batavianewyork.com, 585-565-4423.
The City of Batavia is seeking general contractors to complete housing rehabilitation projects for low-income homeowners who qualify. The Housing Rehabilitation Program is a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and is federally funded through Homes and Community Renewal and administered by the City of Batavia. Qualifying contractors must be able to provide the following:
1. Valid business license and insurance 2. IRS Tax ID (EIN) 3. DUNS Number 4. Certification of asbestos and lead testing
Projects may include replacing roofs, performing weatherization, electrical, plumbing, and similar improvements. Minority and Women owned Business Enterprises are encouraged to apply. Contractors are subject to Davis Bacon Labor Standards and Wage Rates.
Any general contractors interested in becoming qualified to bid on CDBG Housing Rehabilitation projects should contact Julie Dahlie, Grants Administrator, at the jdahlie@batavianewyork.com or 585-565-4423 by June 1, 2024.
All contractors on the list of qualified and approved Contractors will be notified via email of any bid invitation.
Howard Owens, publisher of The Batavian, and Sandra Wolfley, winner of the Wings Over Batavia prize drawing, at the Genesee County Home Show. Photo by Lisa Ace.
Alexander resident Sandra Wolfley won The Batavian's prize drawing Sunday at the Genesee County Home Show, which was on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in Batavia.
Wolfley won a pair of VIP Pilot's Lounge Tickets for the Wings Over Batavia Air Show, set for Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at the Genesee County Airport.
There were more than 160 people in the contest, which required home show attendees to fill out an entry form and stamp it with The Batavian's logo.
Thanks to Wings Over Batavia for partnering with us on this promotion.
The Batavia Housing Authority is seeking a positive, hardworking teammate to perform a variety of outdoor landscaping tasks, primarily mowing, with some trimming and cleanup work. The Groundskeeper is independently responsible for outdoor landscaping tasks on a weekly basis with some flexibility. This job may require some weekend hours when necessary. Part-time position Pay Range: $19.00/hr - $22.00/hr Anticipated start date: May 2024 Application deadline: April 29, 2024 See full job description at: https://www.co.genesee.ny.us/Groundskeeper.pdf Complete Civil Service Application at: https://cms1files.revize.com/geneseecountynew/CivilServiceApplication2022Revision-09.22.22.pdf Contact Information Nathan Varland Executive Director Batavia Housing Authority 400 East Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020 (585) 344-1888 nvarland@bataviahousing.org Location: Batavia
For Rent - Lower 1 Bedroom Apartment Private country setting, lower one bedroom apartment with all appliances and parking. Sunroom with gas fireplace and patio. Includes water and heat. NEW LOWER PRICE! $1000/Month plus electric. No pets, no smoking. References and security deposit required. Available June 1st, 2024. Call 585-344-3141.
