Announcements

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce announces the Schedule for their Fall Membership Seminar Series. These exciting Seminars are a way to help you stay informed of the hot topics facing your business today! 

The Fall Seminars will cover topics such as Social Media, Banking, Health Insurance, Finances and Industrial Maintenance. We have leading experts in each industry to present and share their knowledge with you.

Presenters include: Colin Dentino, independent marketing consultant; Robert Bennett, The Bank of Castile; Mark Wolcott, Key Bank; Joanne McInerney, Tompkins Insurance Agencies; and Tom Steffenilla, Adept Equipment Services.

In order to keep these seminars intimate and allow for a more personalized setting they will be limited to 20 people per session. We feel this will create a more casual environment that will allow attendees to feel more comfortable to participate and ask questions.

All seminars will be held at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Office, 210 E. Main St., Batavia. Networking & light refreshments will begin at 7:45 a.m. with the seminar to start promptly at 8 and end at 9.

All sessions are free for chamber members and $5 for non-members. Call Kelly B. at 343-7440, ext. 26, to RSVP. REMEMBER each seminar is limited to 20 on a first-come basis.

Fall Schedule of Seminars:

Tuesday, Oct. 9

Social Media -- Colin Dentino, Independent Marketing Consultant

"What is it ... and do we really need to use it?"

Thursday, Oct. 18

Banking -- Robert Bennett, Vice President, The Bank of Castile

"Changing technologies and how to bank from your office"

Tuesday, Oct. 23

Financial -- Mark Wolcott Sr., Relationship Manager, Key Bank

"How to qualify and apply for a business loan / The ins and outs and what banks are really looking for!"

Thursday, Nov. 1

Industrial Maintenance, Part 1 -- Tom Steffenilla, President & Owner, Adept Equipment Services

"Identification and use of test equipment"

Tuesday, Nov. 13

Health Insurance -- Joanne McInerney, Vice President, Employee Benefits Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc.

"Health care reform and how it affects your business!"

Tuesday, Nov. 20

Industrial Maintenance, Part 2 -- Tom Steffenilla, President & Owner, Adept Equipment Services

"Industrial circuits using common schematics"

Press release:

Even though numerous studies indicate a college degree improves earning power and career longevity, one of the challenges facing higher education is helping students commit to and complete a degree or certificate.

The honor society Phi Theta Kappa at Genesee Community College is hoping to improve the graduation rate by adopting a new project called Community College Completion Corps, also known as C4.

On Thursday, Oct. 4, PTK members are sponsoring an event to encourage students to sign a pledge to complete their degree and learn just how essential completion is for their future success. A ceremony to launch the year-long campaign, which is part of a statewide "Commit to Complete" initiative, will take place at 12:30 p.m. in room T102 of the Conable Technology Building on the Batavia Campus.

"We know that employers value seeing degrees on applications and resumes, even for students just starting out, because it indicates a person can set and stick to a goal," said PTK co-Vice President Emmeline Vacanti, of Alexander. Fellow board member Taylor Schutt, of Cheektowaga, said initially, her goal was to get a GCC fashion degree, but decided it was not her passion and quickly became discouraged. But she said she "found a new dream and now I'm on track to pursue a new goal," and hopes her personal story helps illustrate to others that they, too, can overcome obstacles and reach their goals, one step at a time.

The GCC chapter of PTK is launching this new initiative under the guidance of a new team of officers. Psychology Associate Professor Elise Banfield will continue to serve as advisor to the club and Eileen Blackwell, a psychology and human services instructor, will serve as co-advisor.

The remainder of the PTK leadership team is made of up students: Thomas Wieszczyk (of Dansville) will serve as president and regional VP for all of Western New York, Taylor Schutt and Emmeline Vacanti will share the vice presidency, Batavia's Michelle Williams takes on public relations duties, Courtney Dart (Alexander) will serve as secretary and Marcy Lorenzi (Alden) will assume the responsibilities of chapter Webmaster.

The honor society is also launching a push to gain more members. Michelle says there are hundreds of GCC students eligible for membership, but just a few dozen actually join. "I don't think they appreciate how valuable membership is. I've gotten inquiries from several four-year colleges, with offers of scholarships, just because I belong to PTK!"

Phi Theta Kappa was established in 1918, and serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two year college students and provides opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership and service programming. Students must earn a GPA of 3.6 for initial membership.

For more information about the C4 initiative or PTK, please contact Elise Banfield at 343-0055 x6294, or via email: ecbanfield@genesee.edu.

A Community Harvest Supper will be held under tents on the lawn of the Batavia YWCA from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 10.

The event celebrates local agriculture and our community. It will include face-painting, pumpkin painting and live entertainment.

The autumn supper will include beef and vegetable stews, stuffing, potatoes, breads, mac 'n' cheese, and desserts.

Cost is $6 per person, or $20 for a group of four. Reservations are required and the deadline is Friday, Oct. 5.

The Alexander volleyball teams are sponsoring an ovarian cancer awareness game Thursday night Oct. 4 at home during their games against York.

(We know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this even started out as a breast cancer awareness game, but we switched gears at the beginning of September after our Varsity Coach Marcia Hirsch lost her sister-in-law Bonnie Hirsch to ovarian cancer at the end of August).

We will be having a serving contest in between the J.V. and Varsity games to win prizes from area businesses. You pay $1 to serve a ball into a pizza box and if you hit it, you win the prize that's in it.

There will be concessions with a bake sale and some T-shirts will be available for purchase -- all proceeds being donated to Roswell Park Cancer Institute in honor of Bonnie Hirsch.

The JV game starts at 5 p.m., the serving contest is at 6, followed by the varsity game and the evening should wrap up no later than 8:30 p.m., according to organizers.

The school is located at 3314 Buffalo St. in Alexander.

Press release:

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is America’s leading business and economic literacy program for girls. During the 2012 sale, which begins Oct. 6, local Girl Scouts will put their sales and marketing skills into action as they strive to reach an unprecedented goal: Sell 1.7 million boxes of cookies.

“When a Girl Scout sells you cookies, she’s doing more than just handing you a box. She’s creating a plan, interacting with customers, and working as part of a team. She’s building a lifetime of skills and confidence which validates an important part of Girl Scouting which is to inspire girls to reach their full potential,“ said Cindy L. Odom, chief executive officer.

No matter which cookie is your favorite, each cookie has a mission -- to help girls do great things. Girl Scout cookies are once again $3.50 per box. All the popular favorites are back, with a NEW packaging look, including Caramel de Lites, Lemonades, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Peanut Butter Patties, Thanks-A-Lot, and Thin Mints.

NEW THIS YEAR -- Mango Cremes! "Eat with health in mind — Mango Crèmes with Nutrifusion™ Girl Scout Cookies is a tangy, refreshing tropical treat." Girl Scouts go greener with new Lemonades™ and Thanks-A-Lot® cookies. These cookies are offered in a tray with film overwrap and no carton. By removing the carton, 300 tons of paperboard a year is saved. Cookies in these film overwrapped trays freeze well so consumers can stock up.

Over the next two and a half months, girls will take orders door-to-door in their neighborhoods, and set up “cookie booths” at convenient locations and organize neighborhood walk abouts. Participating in the cookie program provides an opportunity for girls to develop budgets, design and implement creative marketing strategies, and master the art of both sales and customer service.

They actively participate in setting goals for their sale and in deciding how they will spend the proceeds. Most troops use their cookie revenue to pay for troop activities, special interest projects or for a wonderful trip. 

Besides using traditional marketing and sales techniques, Girl Scouts will also use the cookie program as an opportunity to spark some creativity. Some will make formal presentations; others will create displays that outline their troop goals and how they will use the money. Last year, one local Girl Scout set up a “drive-thru” cookie booth in her circular driveway. Her signage directed customers to the booth where each day she had established hours for customers to drive through and purchase cookies.

This year our community service organization is a partnership between Girl Scouts of Western New York and the Niagara Falls Air Force Base to provide Girl Scout cookies to men and women in our military and armed forces in WNY and overseas.

It costs roughly $320 to provide a year’s worth of opportunities and volunteer support for each Girl Scout.

 “Through the cookie program, the Girl Scouts of Western New York is able to achieve its mission of developing leadership, decision-making skills, and commitment to community.” Odom says.

**********************

Young entrepreneurs have been at work in the Girl Scout organization since 1917, when girls baked the cookies in their own kitchens and sold them door-to-door. Their efforts helped build a long-standing tradition of girls working together to achieve their goals and become leaders in their own communities and beyond. The skills they develop and the memories they make will last long after the cookies are gone.

Girl Scouts of Western New York (GSWNY) serves over 20,000 girls and 9,000 adult volunteers across the GSWNY jurisdiction; including Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties.  The council’s administrative headquarters is located in Buffalo. GSWNY program and service centers are located in Buffalo, Batavia, Jamestown, Lockport, Niagara Falls and Rochester.

Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. Through the Girl Scout Leadership Development Program, girls discover their personal best and prepare for a positive future, connect with others in an increasingly diverse world, and take action to solve problems and improve their communities.  

A premier voice for girls and a leading expert on their growth and development, Girl Scouts is a highly regarded, contemporary organization. Girl Scouts offers girls ages 5-17 remarkable opportunities to develop values and contribute to society as leaders, thinkers and responsible citizens.

Founded in Savannah, Ga., on March 12, 1912,  GSUSA continues to be the leading authority on girls, with a membership of more than 3.7 million girls and adults.

Alexander Elementary School invites the public to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new outdoor classroom on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 10 a.m.

There will be a 15- to 20-minute period of opening remarks, followed by the ribbon-cutting itself. People can then wander the classroom trails and explore. There is no set time for this -- it will depend on the weather, the turnout and people's own preferences.

For previous coverage, see New classroom will give Alexander students a place to learn in the great outdoors.

The school is at 3314 Buffalo St. in Alexander. Contact Alexander Elementary School Principal Matt Stroud at 591-1551, ext. 1182 or e-mail mstroud3@alexandercsd.org for further details.

Press release:

Two local people will represent Batavia in "Speak Up"  Toastmasters on Friday Oct. 5 at the Area 5, District 65 Evaluation and Humorous Speech Contest. It will take place at Genesee Community College in Batavia.

Joan Post will be one of five to participate in the Evaluation Contest wherein she will evaluate the chosen target speaker given by a chosen speaker.

Steven Holley who will be one of five to participate in the Humorous Speech Contest.

The winners will go on to represent the area in the Central Division Fall Speech
Contest and then on to the District 65 Fall Conference.

So come out and cheer on our Batavia speakers. It should be an enjoyable evening and costs only $10 a person, including dinner.

The contest begins with registration at 6 p.m. with a light supper available. The contests commence at 7 o'clock.

For more information please visit our Web site <http://www.speakuptoastmasters.org> or
call 343-2640.

"Speak Up" Toastmasters is a club for improving your ommunicating and leadership skills. It's open to the public and to all ages. We meet the second and fourth Tuesdays.

Press release:

The Northgate chapter of Mothers of Preschoolers or MOPS regularly serves over 120 moms throughout the Genesee region.

Northgate MOPS meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at Northgate Free Methodist Church’s South campus at 350 Bank St. in Batavia.

Morning MOPS meets from 9:30-11:30 and MOPS at Night meets from 6:30-8:30. In addition to a morning session and an evening session, a Teen MOPS group also meets on Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8:30.

Available to all MOPS moms at meetings is a free childcare program called MOPPETS. Children are cared for by loving, caring, care providers through creative activities, games, story time and music.

MOPS meetings range from dynamic guest speakers, round table discussions, creative crafts and always include great food and fellowship.

“This year Is shaping up to be an awesome year filled with relevant topics and activities that aim to support and encourage moms from all walks of life,” Megan Williams, coordinator of the MOPS at Night group said.

“Our group truly shows the range of moms we welcome into MOPS. From married moms to single moms, working moms to stay-at-home moms, to moms of multiples and moms of just one, we all gather with one thing in common- to encourage, support and build community among moms. MOPS International has always affirmed that ‘better moms make a better world’ and I believe that’s what we’re doing right here in our own small communities.”

To find out more about Northgate MOPS contact the group coordinators:

• Morning MOPS- Julie Varland 813- 4118 jredband@yahoo.com
• Evening MOPS- Megan Williams 750-3299 mwilliams91@rochester.rr.com

(MOPS @ Night Web site- www.NorthgateMOPS.wordpress.com)

• Teen MOPS- Jacky Smith 704-8187 jackyhtims@rochester.rr.com

About MOPS International:

For over 35 years, MOPS International has been creating authentic communities where moms gather to experience encouragement, support and hope. But, it doesn’t stop there. Through training and development customized to women in this stage of life, and through do-able service opportunities, MOPS grows moms to make a better world. Every mom is welcomed, accepted and inspired to reach her potential and recognize her influence within her family and her world. MOPS believes that better moms really do make a better world. MOPS group meet all over the world in more than 30 countries and in over 4,000 groups in the United States. For more information visit www.MOPS.org.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce offers a new brochure which highlights agricultural-related visitor experiences throughout Genesee County.

The chamber's tourism program developed the brochure with assistance from Cornell Cooperative Extension. Locals will find the brochure helpful as a current resource for agricultural related tours and shopping experiences. The brochure has detailed listings for gardens, u-picks, orchards, farm tours, and specialty items like local honey and maple syrup.

Free brochures are available at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, 210 E. Main St., Batavia. The digital version of the brochure can be viewed online from the homepage of the chamber's tourism Web site. Just click on the cow image on the www.VisitGeneseeNY.com homepage.

For more information, please call the chamber's tourism staff at 343-7440.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is the official tourism promotion agency for Genesee County. Tourism is the county's 2nd largest industry with an economic impact of nearly $130 million.

www.VisitGeneseeNY.com
 

The Salvation Army is having a Swiss Steak dinner and basket auction on Saturday, Nov. 3. Takes-outs begin at 4:30 p.m., sit-down dinner at 5.

Advance ticket sales only, $9 each. Deadline is Oct. 26.

A silent and live basket auction will follow dinner. This fundraiser is sponsored by the Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary and all proceeds benefit the holiday programs. The Salvation Army Community Center is located at 529 E. Main St. in the City of Batavia.

For information and tickets, call 343-6284 or 345-1663.

Press release:

Do you like to work with your hands? Are you a problem solver? If so, a career in the skilled trades industry could be your path. Come and learn about the many options the skilled trades can offer you. An Open House and Skilled Trades Fair will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11 at the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center.

During the open house, you can tour classrooms, and speak with students and teachers to learn the educational pathway to a career in the trades. Some programs will host skilled trades professionals who will be on hand to discuss employment opportunities. Students in grades 7-12 are encouraged to attend.

Refreshments will be served and a raffle for door prizes will be offered.

The Batavia Career and Technical Education Center is located at 8250 State Street Road, Batavia. For more information, please contact the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center at 344-7711.

Press release:

United Memorial Medical Center will conduct FREE health screenings for the uninsured at the Jerome Center, 16 Bank St., Batavia, from 2-8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18.

This event is for uninsured Genesee County residents between the ages of 40 and 64. Healthcare providers will also provide free mammograms, pap smears and clinical breast exams for women and prostate screening exams for men. Additional screenings services provided at the event will include blood sugar testing, total cholesterol and take home colorectal cancer screening kits.

Please call United Memorial’s Healthy Living Department to schedule an appointment at 344-5331.

Light refreshments, health information and free giveaways will also be available at the event. Assistance is available for individuals requiring follow-up medical care. People who meet the criteria and are unable to attend the event should call the Cancer Services Partnership at 344-5494. They can assist clients with scheduling services for other dates and times.

This event is planned by the Cancer Services Partnership of Genesee and Orleans County, through a grant from New York State that is administered by United Memorial.

Press release:

Giggles and snickers aren't usually welcomed during a speaking contest, but that's the goal of the Toastmasters District 65 Evaluation and Humorous Contest that will be hosted by the Multi-Cultural Communications Club at Genesee Community College on Friday, Oct. 5.

The event is geared toward fine-tuning speaking skills that are generally outside the comfort zone of club members and participants. Toastmasters is an international organization aimed at helping individuals gain the confidence needed to become great speakers and leaders, and ultimately, to find their "voice."

The club's mission is to provide a mutually safe, supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills that foster self-confidence and personal growth.

"We help members become confident, charismatic individuals and to gain practice to become the leaders, speakers and negotiators the global employment marketplace is looking for," said Jacqueline Di Bella, GCC adjunct professor at the college and club advisor.

The light-hearted competition gets under way at 5 p.m. in room T119 of the Conable Technology Building on the Batavia campus. Reservations are required, with ticket prices set at $7 per person for a light supper.

To reserve a seat, contact Jackie DiBella at jedibella@genesee.edu or at 585-278-8851.

Press release:

Do you know a middle- or high-school student, age 11-18, who is interested in starting his or her own REAL business or social movement? If so, they might be a great candidate for the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) and the full-tuition scholarship provided by the Batavia Lions Club!

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a year-long program that teaches students in grades 6-12 how to start and run their own, REAL businesses. Students brainstorm business ideas, decide if they want to work by themselves or as a team, write a business plan, pitch their plan to investors for funding, and actually launch their own business or social movement. All of the learning is real and experiential. Students leave the class as business owners, complete with a DBA and bank account!

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy, or YEA!, is currently accepting applications for 2012-2013 academic year. YEA! will grant admission to a maximum of 24 students annually in each class. Applications will be accepted until Oct. 12.

Please note that Avon students who are interested in applying for the full-tuition scholarship must submit both the standard application as well as the scholarship application, which can be downloaded at www.yeausa.org

Classes will be held at the University of Rochester (Tuesday evenings), Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Corporate Headquarters (Wednesday evenings) and SUNY Geneseo (Thursday evenings). All classes meet from 4-7 p.m. beginning in November and ending in June.

Classes do not meet during school breaks and holiday recess. Books and supplies will be provided every week to those students who are accepted into the Young Entrepreneurs Academy.

For more information, and to download an application and/or scholarship application, please visit www.yeausa.org <http://www.yeausa.org> , email aosborn@yeausa.org, or call 585-272-3535.

Still want to learn more? You can also feel free to visit the YEA! YouTube site at http://www.youtube.com/user/myyeausa, or check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YEAInc <http://www.facebook.com/YEAInc>.

Locally grown fruits and vegetables, including varieties that are cultivated organically, will be featured during a Harvest Festival and Farmer's Market at Genesee Community College on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012.

The market in the Forum of the Batavia campus will have produce and other locally made goods for sale, and is open to the public from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Vendors who plan to offer their harvest include:

•    Lee Farms, Kent – organic beef, tomatoes (subject to change)

•    Harper Hill, Darien – goats milk soaps

•    Harrington's, Batavia – vegetables and fruits

•    Hill 'n' Hollow, Pavilion – fruit vinegars, chutneys and sauces

•    Roanoke Apple Farm, Stafford – apples

•    GCC CEO Club – apple cider syrup and protein snacks

Children and animal enthusiasts will be delighted by the small animal "meet and greet" featuring bunnies, goats, a calf and a miniature horse, which will be grazing on the east lawn of the campus under the watchful eyes of students from the Veterinary Technology Club.

The market is part of a one-day Harvest Festival geared toward students who are considering careers in agriculture, bioengineering, conservation, environmental science and green technology.

The festival will feature a keynote speech from James Kingston of Monroe Tractor, as well as a panel discussion with former NYS Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Nathan Rudgers, who is the current director of business development at FarmCredit of Western NY, and nearly a dozen local experts covering a range of issues that deal with agriculture, including large animal concerns, getting products to market, ridding crops of pests and the finances of agri-business.

New for FrightFest 2012, magician Aaron Radatz will up the ante of this year’s fall festivities. On Friday evenings at 7:30, he will face three primal fears: the fear of drowning, the fear of small spaces, and the fear of death, as he is handcuffed and submerged into a steel drum of ice-cold water. He will only have a lock pick and the air in his lungs to try and free himself before time runs out.

On Saturday nights at 7:30, he will put his life on the line again by hanging 40 feet in the air upside-down in a straitjacket and attempt to beat legendary magician Harry Houdini's best time at the same escape.

Both of these shock-and-awe performances will take place on stage near The Emporium.

For the fearless few, be sure to check out Dr. D.C. East’s House of Horrors, the Final Field Trip, Road Rage Cage, and the Possessed Twister for a frightfully good time. Families will also find fun and entertaining activities such as pumpkin painting, the Monster Mash Dance Party, a trick or treat trail, and the LaserBlast Spooktacular show.

Also, comedy duo Jessie and James will bring their unique blend of physical comedy and circus arts to entertain the audience.

Rowdy’s Ridge and all six roller coasters will be open on Saturday during the day along with other rides. FrightFest hours of operation are Fridays 6 to 10:00 p.m. and Saturdays 12 to 10 p.m., now through Oct. 13, plus one Sunday -- Oct. 7

For more information on FrightFest visit www.DarienLake.com or call 585-599-4641.

A Mega Rummage Sale and Blow Out Bake Sale will take place at The Salvation Army Community Center on Friday, Oct. 5.

It is located at 529 E. Main St. in the City of Batavia.

The rummage sale is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include toys, books, linens, housewares, bric-a-brac, and much more.

The bake sale is from 9 a.m. to noon and will feature sweets, coffee and apple pies.

For more information or to donate, call 343-6284.

Press release:

Darien Lake announced exciting plans for the 2013 season including a major upgrade to the popular Laser Blast show and a new tower thrill ride.

Leading off the improvements is an extensive upgrade to the popular nightly Laser Blast show, adding cutting-edge water technology, pyrotechnics, and high-value production that will transform the classic laser show into a new summer spectacular, “Ignite the Night.”

The show will feature a 60-foot water screen as the backdrop to an action-packed show that chronicles events from the 1950s to today, including a tribute to Canada and our country’s heroes.

“We are really pleased to be able to bring this show to Darien Lake,” said Darien Lake General Manager Bob Montgomery. “Guests who enjoyed our Laser Blast show will be amazed at the new lifelike video projected onto the huge, 60-foot water screen. The special effects are incredible. Think Laser Blast on steroids!”

The other major improvement is called “Blast Off" -- a 185-foot thrill ride that will accelerate thrill-seekers to the top of a tower in a way that simulates an actual NASA launch.

“Guests will experience the feeling of 4G, equivalent to what the astronauts in the Space Shuttle experience. It is a real thrill,” Montgomery said.

Blast Off will be located in the “Waterfront Boardwalk” area, which will undergo significant renovations in the off-season. The Waterfront Boardwalk will celebrate the nostalgia of New York’s popular lakeside resorts and communities of the 1950s and will include classic rides like the Grand Carousel and The Big Wheel, along with new dining options and a “jumping water” attraction where kids of all ages will enjoy splashing and chasing dancing water streams.

“This new area will be all about Buffalo and Western New York’s wonderful lakes. It will be bustling with activity and provide a great opportunity for family fun,” Montgomery said.

Both new attractions will be ready for opening day 2013, which is set for Saturday, May 11.

Season Passes for the 2013 season are available for purchase online at www.DarienLake.com or at Darien Lake during operating hours for only $64.99 plus tax each. Guests can purchase season passes now and get free admission to Fright Fest plus receive the best price and benefit package of the season including free parking with every pass, free tickets for friends and more! 

2013 Season Pass purchasers also will be invited to a special “Sneak Peak” on Friday, May 10. Full information on the Darien Lake season pass program can be found online at www.DarienLake.com/plan-a-visit/season-pass.

Submitted by Pax Christi Genesee County

Roula Alkhouri, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Batavia, will be the featured speaker at the Pasta for Peace free spaghetti dinner, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11, at First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St. in Batavia.

The program is sponsored by Pax Christi Genesee County. Her subject will be “Syria Today."

Pastor Alkhouri says, though her family in Syria is not targeted, “The danger comes from the surrounding violence. There are bombs, bullets, and shrapnel that might hit them randomly. They have also struggled because of the economy. Work for many people is irregular and often disrupted.

"The price of basic commodities has risen dramatically. My father has been actively helping in some peacemaking efforts in his own town. He is working with the leaders of his community to insure that Muslims and Christians work together and not hate each other."

She says, “It would be in the interest of the U.S. to help with a peace process. The problem is that we are not seen as fair arbitrators. First, we have a strong prejudice against Islam. In a way, Islam has replaced the Soviet Union as our enemy. Secondly, we are seen in the Middle East as siding with the corrupt leaders who oppress the people. We and the rest of the Western countries have supported dictatorships in the Middle East and exploited those connections to our benefit, for example our relationship with former Egyptian leader Housni Mubarak.

"Thirdly, our unquestioned support of Israel at the expense of justice for the Palestinians makes people in the Middle East suspect of our commitment to a just peace in the Middle East. Fourth, our military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan is seen by the majority of Middle Easterners as an unjust manipulation and use of force to protect our interests in Middle Eastern oil.”

According to Pastor Alkhouri, “The roots of this civil war right now go back to the colonial divisions of the turn of the 20th Century, and the French and British of the region to guarantee their access to oil. This goes back to the Sykes-Picot agreement between (mainly) the French and the British around the time of World War I where after the fall of the Ottoman Empire the French and the British took over the divided regions and worked with the local groups with a policy of divide and rule.

These divisions were not based on cultural connections and traditions but on colonial interests, namely oil. For example, in Syria the French empowered the Alawites against other groups. That is why today the violent conflict that is taking place in Syria is difficult to solve because people have harbored ill feelings against each other for decades and there is a strong sense of lack of trust.

She states further, “Another important factor in the 'Arab Spring' is the rise in food prices.” She quotes the Economist, “the Middle East and North Africa depend more on imported food than anywhere else. Most Arab countries buy half of what they eat from abroad; and between 2007 and 2010, cereal imports to the region rose 13 percent, to 66m tonnes.

"Because they import so much, Arab countries suck in food inflation when world prices rise. In 2007-08, they spiked, with some staple crops doubling in price. In Egypt local food prices rose 37 percent in 2008-10.”

She adds, “Unsurprisingly, the spike triggered a wave of bread riots. Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco saw demonstrations about food in 2008. They all suffered political uprisings three years later. The Arab Spring was obviously about much more than food. But it played a role."

"The food-price spike was the final nail in the coffin for regimes that were failing to deliver on their side of the social contract,” according to Jane Harrigan of London's School of Oriental and African Studies.

Pax Christi Genesee County is a chapter of the national Catholic Peace Movement, Pax Christi USA. Pax Christi operates on an interfaith basis locally. The group hopes that its Pasta for Peace series will help promote better understanding of important topics, regionally and beyond.

More information is available at <http://PaxChristiWNY.weebly.com>. Questions may be referred to Pax Christi moderator William Privett, wprivett.paxchristi@gmail.com.

Pre-registration calls to either: Joyce 757-2218, or Trudy: 599-3302.