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Batavia City Schools District board members agreed to continue the search process for a new superintendent during an executive session Thursday, Board President Alice Benedict says. While she couldn’t discuss specific names or details of the session, Benedict confirmed that there are some worthy candidates to consider.

“We are now in the process of setting up interviews with candidates,” she said Saturday to the Batavian. “There will be three opportunities for the community and staff to let us know if they’re interested (in meeting with candidates). They have to send an email to get a link for Zoom.”

The virtual meetings will be announced toward the end of September, with interviews expected to begin in October, she said. A number “less than half a dozen” expressed interest in the position and meet all of the requirements, she said. That is why the district has not yet put out a general open application.

“They are all qualified,” she said.

The superintendent position became vacant this summer when Anibal Soler Jr. announced he was leaving for another job in Schenectady. Interim Superintendent Scott Bischoping has temporarily taken on the role.

More information is to be available soon at bataviacsd.org 

Nine years after closing Robert Morris Elementary, city school officials are mulling the idea of resuming it as a school once again.

The idea is in tandem with recommending Request for Proposals of completely renovating the well-used Batavia Middle School. The Board of Education unanimously agreed to move forward with the school’s construction assessment and a cost estimate during Thursday’s board meeting.  

Board member John Reigle spoke on behalf of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, which has been conducting a district facilities review. 

His mission was to ask the board “to direct our contractors” to conduct a complete review of the middle school to find out how much work and money it would take to renovate and abate the site, he said, and the cost to “bring Robert Morris up to date to facilitate student use.”

Interim Superintendent Scott Bischoping added that it would be ideal to do this site study before any discussions about the next capital project take place. 

“Just to get an idea of the cost and what the community would like to do,” Bischoping said. “Eventually you’re not going to be able to put Band-Aids on that building. Many districts have totally gutted and rehabbed their buildings, but there’s a price tag to that.”

The middle school building has been around for quite a while, tucked into the residential neighborhood along Ross Street. It was initially built in 1926 to be used as a high school until Batavia High School was built in 1961 on State Street. Wear and tear and an estimated “significant amount of abatement” would be part of the renovation, which has become clear to the board, Benedict said.

“There’s a lot of dealing with abatement, and it puts a lot of expense on the project,” she said. “Probably in the future, we’re going to have to get some kids back to Robert Morris.”

Abatement, a word commonly used for cleaning up toxic materials such as asbestos, has been identified for the middle school. Bischoping said that it has been very difficult to do any work in the building without disturbing those materials. After the scope and costs have been determined for construction and abatement of the middle school, and any work necessary to get Robert Morris up to speed for full use, the Buildings and Grounds Committee will put forward a recommendation for board vote, Benedict said. 

In 2012, city school district officials closed Robert Morris Elementary in an effort to consolidate students and merge the west side school’s population into Jackson Primary and John Kennedy Intermediate. The defunct building at Richmond Avenue and Union Street then became host of a childcare facility and Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (BOCES) classes. The childcare facility has since moved out to another location and Covid ceased the other activities, Benedict said, rendering the site “an empty building.”

 

There have been many complaints and much concern expressed about Batavia City Schools’ current busing situation, Board President Alice Benedict says. Parents have been quite vocal about the need to put three students per seat on Jackson and John Kennedy school buses, however, it has all been online.

Board meetings have been void of any such vocal discourse, she said.

“No parents have ever attended. But there have been lots of comments on social media,” Benedict said during an interview Saturday. “We’re criticized for the choices made, but nobody has taken the time to come and talk to us. Unfortunately, it’s something we don’t have any control over.”

A lack of drivers at the district’s bus operator, Student Transportation of America, has in turn meant fewer buses per run. To accommodate all of the students needing transportation, they have been assigned three per seat, she said.

“There’s not anything the school district can do about it, other than ask parents to take their kids off the bus and drive them to school themselves,” she said. “We’re still talking to the bus company … for me personally as a board member, (Business Administrator) Mr. Rozanski is doing the best he can. They just don’t have the bodies to drive.”

Batavia is far from alone in this dilemma. ABCnews.go.com states that schools across the country, from Pennsylvania and Virginia to Missouri, Ohio, and Texas, have reported similar shortages. Georgia’s Savannah-Chatham County Public School System reported a 30 percent decrease of more than 110 drivers upon the start of this school season, the website states. Covid is to blame for the lack of drivers, Paul Abbott, executive director for transportation for the district, said to ABC News, it states.

The city school district is short some four buses, which has caused delays, late arrivals and the three-per-seat set-up. STA operates more than 16,000 vehicles for over 300 school districts, according to its website, and is “committed to providing our customers with the highest level of safe and reliable transportation solutions available.” The company’s public relations department did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Students are required to wear masks on the bus, and they can take brief mask “breaks” if the weather is nice and the windows are open, Benedict said. Many of them have been told by their parents to wear the mask for the duration of the bus trip and not take them off at all, she said.

As for other virus-related measures, Covid testing equipment has been issued to the district by the Genesee County Health Department, Interim Superintendent Scott Bischoping said during the board’s Thursday meeting. Students with potential symptoms of the Covid-19 virus can be tested during the day.

The Health Department will notify school officials if anyone does test positive, and contact tracing will begin to track down who the infected person was in contact with prior to being tested, he said, “and making the determination if a quarantine is necessary.” The total quarantine would be for 10 days, minus any days already lapsed before diagnosing the Covid case, he said.

Having access to on-site testing and wearing masks are two methods to maintaining a healthy environment, he said.

“Our families want our kids in school as much as possible,” he said.

The next board meeting is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 21 in Batavia High School library, 260 State St.

A related Q&A was posted Thursday on the district’s website to clarify its protocols for Covid-19 guidelines. That is shown below:

SEP 16, 2021

Dear BCSD Parents and Guardians, 

Over the last few days, we’ve received a few questions from parents about protocols regarding our COVID-19 guidelines that we want to clarify for the larger community.

We appreciate the questions and will continue to update you as they arise.  

Q: Are there outbreaks of the virus in our buildings? 

A: While cases of the virus have been reported to us by the Genesee County Health Department, only a small number of those cases resulted from a spread within our buildings. Most reported cases are due to a spread of the virus outside of school, and families have taken the necessary steps to quarantine. While this situation could change, we will report any significant issues directly to families.

In an effort to provide transparent information on COVID-19 cases reported throughout the Batavia City School District, going forward, each Monday, we will be posting the number of positive student and staff cases reported from the previous week on our website: BataviaCSD.org.

Q: How will families be made aware of cases within the schools?

A: We are working in collaboration with the Genesee County Health Department who is providing guidance when there is a positive case in any of our district buildings. 

Once a positive case is identified, the Health Department determines who that child or staff member has been in contact with. From there, Health Department officials determine what action is warranted (i.e., testing, quarantine, etc.).

You will be contacted directly by the Health Department if your child was in contact with another person who has tested positive, and they will work with you to determine the next steps.

Q: Are there three students per seat on our buses?

A: Yes, there are three students per seat on our Jackson and John Kennedy bus runs in many cases. While we would have preferred to have enough buses to have separate bus runs for each building with fewer students on each bus, our transportation contractor has been unable to provide the necessary buses due to the nationwide bus driver shortage.

Q: What are you doing to try to get more buses?

A: We will continue to work with our busing contractor STA to find more opportunities to increase the number of buses servicing our district, including using subcontractors. But as of today, we don’t have a solution in place. 

Q: Is it true that students are allowed to take mask breaks on buses?

A: We have advised our bus drivers to allow students to take brief mask breaks – especially on hot days. These breaks are permitted (but not required) to avoid students getting overheated. Weather permitting, we are also opening our bus windows. 

As a parent, you can certainly advise your child not to remove their mask during these breaks.

As a reminder, if a student or staff member exhibits any COVID symptoms, they should not report to school that day and should contact the building nurse immediately. 

Please reach out to your child’s principal if you have any additional questions or concerns. 

Sincerely, 

Scott Bischoping

Interim Superintendent  

Lifelong Genesee County resident Melinda Stedman was prepared for late night feedings and diaper changes with her son JP, but not for what the 9-month-old must now endure.

“It’s something I never imagined I’d have to do,” she said Thursday while waiting for her son to wake up from his nap. “I didn’t think I’d have the strength, but you find it. It’s sad because he’s not doing the normal things and having the normal milestones. We’re celebrating the tiny things.”

JP,  short for Joseph Paul, has a rare liver disease. It was discovered through a liver biopsy in January, and has put the Stedman family on a “rollercoaster” of emotional and medical ups and downs ever since. Their ordeal began with an ultrasound in which doctors could not find the little guy’s gallbladder. That led to the diagnosis of Biliary Atresia, and the need for a life-saving liver transplant.

When JP doesn’t have cholangitis, Stedman — a stay-at-home mom with two other children — feeds him a special formula to help him gain weight, and observes his four weekly therapy sessions (two each for physical and occupational therapies). When he does have cholangitis — an inflammation of the bile duct system — he has to go into the hospital for a picc line, or long catheter inserted into a peripheral vein for longer term use. His mom has learned how, and adapted to, maintaining, flushing and administering fluids to his IV line at home.

While Stedman and her husband Paul, a New York State trooper, wait with hope for a suitable liver donor, they are also anticipating the estimated $50,000 to $80,000 needed for the transplant surgery at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and the related costs of housing accommodations for them to stay with him throughout the two to three months of post-surgery lab and clinic treatments.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help offset those expenses. The page also has a more detailed explanation of his condition and all that 9-month-old JP has gone through to date. The fundraising goal is $50,000. There are also sales of JP T-shirts and keychains (handmade by the 11-year-old daughter of a friend who likes to work with clay and created a green clay ribbon).

Ever since she learned of the Stedman’s plight, friend Joanne Smith and her husband Dan have jumped on board to help. Mrs. Smith has not only known the couple a long time, it was in her criminal justice class where they first met.

“We’re all together for two years. (After graduation) I hear from all of them about people getting married and babies being born,” Mrs. Smith said. “When I heard last January about JP … Dan and I are retired, and we said ‘what do you need?’ When he was diagnosed in January, we were hoping they could avoid a transplant. It’s just been a rollercoaster. You think you’re out of the woods and improving, and then he’s back in the hospital.”

The sad paradox about a transplant, she said, is that everyone wants JP to remain strong enough to survive the transplant, but the more critical his condition gets, the higher he climbs on the list of priorities. Some people have inquired about becoming a donor, however, the list of requirements is very demanding and the process is not an easy one, Mrs. Stedman said.

“I just met with the living donor coordinator,” she said, listing some requirements of being 18 to 55, blood type O or B, generally healthy with a BMI of 30 or less and a non-smoker. “People have to go fill out an application online.”

A donor outside of the immediate family would be ideal, Mrs. Smith said, as the parents will need the physical strength to care for JP, 3-year-old Zachary and 5-year-old Savannah.

Given his countless needle pokes and jabs and other medical tests and treatments, including an intravenous

tube, JP has been “a very happy baby,” especially when home with his siblings, his mom said. And there are those days when the frail tyke can bear weight on his legs and lift food up to his mouth, she said.

“I learned to celebrate those small victories,” she said. “My faith has gotten me through it.”

To read more about JP’s life and battle and/or to donate, go to:

http://www.gofundme.com/f/jps-liver-transplant-expenses?qid=5ec9ad887ec101894c8cfbe347057ea7    

or check out his Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/jpsfight

For anyone interested in applying to be a potential donor, go to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s site: LivingDonorReg.UPMC.com        

Photos submitted by Melinda Stedman. Top photo: Nine-month-old JP Stedman cracks a smile despite enduring medical treatments as he waits for a liver transplant donor.

Siblings Zachary and Savannah Stedman spend cherished time with younger brother JP while he's home from the hospital. 

Nine-month-old JP Stedman is shown in an all-too-familiar scenario with an IV tube at home while he battles a liver disease and waits for a donor for his liver transplant.      

Signs and kitchen cabinets may not seem to have much in common, but for one Batavia business owner, they are a perfect complement to each other.

Dan Ewing, who purchased Baker’s Frontier Kitchens in April of this year, has found a niche for his engineering degree that involves both. The Macedon resident owns a sign shop in East Rochester and has moved westward with ownership of the kitchen business at 8392 Lewiston Rd., Batavia.

“I liked the design aspect of engineering,” he said this week during an interview with the Batavian. “A friend of mine introduced me to Tim Baker, and I thought it was a good fit. (Baker and his wife) are just wonderful people. It’s very, very important to do business with people that have your same value system.”

That value system includes “high-quality cabinets at a very good price,” and taking care of the customer, he said. Whether he is designing a sign — with all of the specifications involved of font, color, size — or crafting a kitchen layout of cabinets, countertops, and perhaps even a matching vanity style for the bathroom — Ewing has found his calling.

He appreciates this area’s “buy local” attitude, and a steady supply of Candlelight Cabinetry products to meet that request. Manufactured in Lockport, Candlelight kitchen cabinets are featured in the showroom’s 20 kitchen displays with finishes of white, cherry, and rustic hickory. His staff can pick up and deliver cabinets, which saves on freight costs, and Frontier Kitchens has a good relationship with the manufacturer, Ewing said. Those are important benefits of the “buy local” presence here in Batavia, he said.

While the Baker’s part of the business name will go away, Ewing committed to retaining Frontier Kitchens and what the name means for this community. There will be some changes coming in the next few months, he said, including a new logo and signage along with a spruced-up exterior, a new phone system, computers, and an overhaul of the internal business system that “lets us serve the customers,” he said.

He has been quite pleased with a steady stream of orders, he said, and added additional staff positions of a delivery person and office manager. A revamped showroom and a new website and kitchen-in-progress are being designed. Frontier is even being prepped for its debut in TV commercials as part of a new marketing and advertising strategy.

“Everything’s in process right now,” Ewing said. “I took what Tim built … I’m very sensitive to taking care of customers while accelerating and enhancing the business. It’s been phenomenal; there are a lot of kitchens in process.”

He said that it’s about a 50/50 split between creating kitchens for new homeowners and renovating older ones, and all with a promise of “very reasonable pricing on a full custom kitchen.” Unlike other designers that charge for every single detail, Ewing provides free consultations, quotes, and printouts of design ideas, he said. A design project can include countertops, sinks and cabinets, and installation by local contractors.

When he’s not drafting a kitchen blueprint, Ewing is a “hardcore golfer” and enjoys fishing and boating in warmer weather, he said, and switches to hunting when the temperatures get cooler. He and his wife Safiye have two boys, Connor and Adam.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and evenings and weekends by appointment. For more information, go to bakersfrontierkitchens.com or call 585-343-0760.

Ryan Pyatt is building his empire one business at a time.

The Batavia native and resident just purchased his third company, and he sees no end in sight with his life motto firmly in place.

“Leave a legacy. Life is what you make it,” he said during an interview Thursday. “Everybody has the opportunity to accomplish (their goals) if they’re motivated and disciplined. I really want this thing to blow up.”

This “thing” happens to be WNY Pressure Wash, in its fourth year and 800 customers strong. Pyatt bought out Batavia Exterior and Roof Clean and rolled it and a few hundred base customers into WNY Pressure Wash, at 8145 East Main St. He plans to reach out to those customers and notify them of the change in ownership. The 10-year-old company was competition for him, so buying it “was a big move for us,” Pyatt said.

“We definitely want to continue to grow,” the 28-year-old entrepreneur said. “Our goal is to be the largest exterior pressure washing company in this area. Growth is one of the major things … I just really want to be the premiere pressure washing company.”

Not exactly a newcomer to the pressure washing field, Pyatt worked for Sparkle Wash since he was 17, and then purchased the company four years ago. For three of those years, he went with the name RNP Services using his own initials. But the evolving student of marketing and branding decided it was time to name it what it was: a pressure washing company. That, and more extensive advertising on Facebook, Angie’s List, and other home services websites, gave him the boost he was looking for, he said.

Pyatt, a 2011 Batavia High School graduate, admits that his time spent in obtaining an associate’s degree in business at Southern New Hampshire University didn’t give him as much foundation as did practical, hands-on experience.

“People ask me what my hobby is, and I say ‘I like to acquire businesses,’” he said, adding that it’s not even so much about the money. “How can I take a failing business and continue to grow it.”

He and fiancée Natalie Cervone bought Great Kutz, in Valu Plaza, in November 2020. Cervone runs the salon while Pyatt concentrates on his other ventures. It hasn’t always been a smooth ride, he said, as there is a learning curve with business ownership.

In other words, there was “a lot of trial and error,” he said.

“We made mistakes, that’s inevitable,” he said. “Finding out why those mistakes happen, and if you can learn and grow from them, that’s the name of the game.”

It was while providing services to home and commercial property owners that prompted Pyatt to pursue other career avenues. During those services, he’d hear people say that they wanted to sell their places but didn’t have a real estate agent. So Pyatt became an agent at Keller Williams in Batavia. Pressure washing and property sales seemed a natural fit to him.

“I’m getting your property ready, so I might as well finish it for you,” he said.

WNY Pressure Wash offers an array of services, from washing building exteriors, sidewalks, and driveways to back decks, roofs, garden pavers, and gutters. There are soft washes for roofs and other more delicate materials, and pressure washes that spit out 5-1/2 gallons per minute. He couldn’t come up with a most difficult job to date but named the oddest request so far: tombstones.

Pyatt has become a bit of a gunk connoisseur — blogging on the site about the benefits of pressure washing and potential damage that can result from leaving roof algae and artillery fungus alone. Artillery fungus comes out as tiny black dots near the bottom of siding; it’s a wood-decaying fungus that, like algae, can cause long-term damage to your home’s exterior, his blog states.

As he has become more versed in the entrepreneurial world, Pyatt came across a belief that there are three levels a business owner should reach for 30 feet is completely hands-on, when Pyatt was actually out there pressure washing people’s homes; 300 feet is about being in the office maintaining the day-to-day needs; and 3,000 feet is overseeing the business as a whole, taking care of the financial end of matters and customer acquisition. He alternates between 300 and 3,000 feet, he said, as profits have been continuously reinvested for the business with eight staff, four vans, two trailers, seven washing units, a building with a full bay for repairs, two offices, and an employee break room.

The keys to success are providing a quality job, good customer service, and communication, he said.

“That’s what we pride ourselves on -- quality,” he said.

He is offering 10 percent off gutter and roof cleaning services for new customers, valid until Oct. 31. For more information, go to wnypressurewash.com or call 585-888-WASH (9274).

Photo by James Burns. Ryan Pyatt checks out a pressure washer at his site on East Main Street, Batavia.

Tori Ganino isn’t afraid to admit that self-assertion is her thing.

At least when it comes to dogs. That canine characteristic of extreme self-assertion — and unwanted aggressiveness — has fueled her career and prompted the 35-year-old to continue her education.

She has recently obtained certification as a Dynamic Dog Practitioner. 

“My passion is aggression. We need to know what’s going on internally,” she said during an interview Friday.“ This certification is more helping out and spotting behavior in dogs. I can see myself applying this to the dogs I work with and to my own dog. I just want to keep learning.”

Ganino is not new to embracing knowledge when it comes to working with dogs, and the canine behavior specialist eagerly added dynamic dog practitioner to her resume. Never heard of such a thing? That’s because the rigorous four-month course is only available in the United Kingdom. Other people have enrolled in the course but Ganino said that she is the only one in the U.S. to successfully complete it. 

While dynamic dog practitioner may seem like an embellished title, it makes sense as Ganino explains it. Say your dog Rufus is a bit more surly than usual, and he has been barking at visitors, and — especially uncharacteristic of Rufus — nipped at one of them. You might think he is just being a bad boy, however, there very well might be underlying issues at play. 

“Dogs are so extremely stoic; they hide things so very well,” Ganino said at her Elba residence. 

Beneath that quiet strength might be hip pain, an achy spine or pulled muscle, she said. By thoroughly assessing the dog, she will be able to pinpoint likely sources of the pain that are causing and coming out as aggressive behavior. Contrary to popular belief that older dogs would be more prone to this occurrence, Ganino said that she has seen it in younger dogs more often. They may be working dogs that herd animals or train for agility courses, or simply playful dogs that throw their little bodies out of whack scampering on slippery floors, she said.

An online dictionary defines dynamic as “a process or system characterized by constant change, activity, or progress; relating to forces producing motion.” Just like humans often do, dogs may overcompensate an injury in one area by overusing the other, Ganino said. That can in turn create a lot of pain and/or discomfort within the dog's body, she said.

The course taught her to understand what normal movement is for the dog so that she can determine what is abnormal movement. That involves taking a history of how the dog moves, what it was like before becoming more aggressive and how it behaves now, such as biting, barking or lunging at people. 

Ganino had owned and operated Calling All Dogs daycare until the dreadful Covid-19 struck. She made the difficult decision to close in March 2020, which ended up opening up a window.

“It has given me the opportunity to do this intense four-month course,” she said. “I had to present six case studies.  There’s not a similar program in the world.”

The programme (spelled properly in England) teaches how to spot potential pain and discomfort in dogs “using specific, measurable and professional techniques from the ground up, whilst giving you an in-depth knowledge of the canine body,” the course website, allaboutthedogtherapy.co.uk, states. 

“There are so many excellent dog training and behaviour courses out there that give you the latest up to date science based techniques to make you become an expert in your chosen field,” it states. “Despite all of them teaching you about A, B, C's they are ALL missing one vital component that is key to understanding most problem dog behaviours.”

Only 14 students are admitted at a time, and they are forewarned that the course is intensive with a blueprint for how to use the material, conduct an assessment and present the findings to the client’s veterinarian. This last piece is key to a fully implemented plan, Ganino said. She will perform a two-hour assessment of the troubled canine to evaluate its activities, movement, walking, running, standing and sitting, and the overall behavior of the dog, she said. 

The finished product includes a report, video and recommended plan of action that may include prescription meds, X-rays, physical therapy and exercises. That will go to the client, behavior consultant and vet. The vet will be the one to recommend a more specific route, such as the type of medical tests or prescriptions to implement for the dog's treatment.

“There’s a lot going on when it comes to behavior and aggression; it’s not just on the outside, but a lot going on inside. Unless you’re trained, you don’t see it,” Ganino said. “We can be that team to work through these problems.”

For more information, or to find out if your dog could benefit from Ganino’s expertise, go to callingalldogsny.com, and click on Schedule a Free Consultation.

Photo by Gina Sierra, ginasierra.com

Several new elements have been added to the return of Oakfield’s Labor Daze three-day event this weekend. A new location for an old favorite promises to be spectacular, Oakfield Betterment Committee President Jamie Lindsley says. 

“It will be a high velocity, rapid-fire, dazzling fireworks display,” she said while setting up the venue Thursday evening. “Because of the ongoing capital improvement project at the school, the fireworks will be in the Town Park on Drake Street. It’s a more intimate setting.” (Rain date is Monday.)

Although fireworks usually cap off an event, this one on Sunday is tucked in between a jam-packed schedule that begins with the Oakfield 5K at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and ends with basket and cash raffle drawings at 8:30 p.m. Monday. 

New elements include the 5K course, which will begin and end at Triangle Park to keep it “central to this location,” Lindsley said. Participants — walkers and runners alike — can still register at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Proceeds from the event will go to Genesee Cancer Assistance in honor of longtime Oakfield resident Ralph Esten Jr., who lost his battle with cancer at 40 in June of this year. Fee is $30, and medals will be awarded to top winners.

There will be plenty of parking Lindsley said, in municipal lots on Main and Drake streets and on side streets.
Kids shouldn’t be bored with a bustling line-up of activities for children and teenagers from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The Kiddie Fun Daze will feature Just Clowning Around Magic Show at 12:15 p.m. and “lots of prizes for kids’ games,” Lindsley said. 

Other new components are some tasty additions to the regular festival fare of hamburgers, hotdogs and kielbasa. Sweet corn on the cob and walking tacos will also be on the menu. Never had a walking taco? Open a bag of crunchy Doritos tortilla chips and top it with ground beef, various taco seasonings, sauce, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream. Then add a fork and go. Anywhere. Hence, the walking part of the taco has become a hit at parties and other special events. A few food trucks will round out the smorgasbord of appetite quenchers. 

A parade boasting marching bands and newcomer Buffalo Ghostbusters will line up at the fire hall and begin at Seneca and Main streets. Spectators should plan to be there about 30 minutes early before road closures prevent them from getting a good spot on the parade route between Seneca and Drake streets/Route 262.

Buffalo Ghostbusters, with their signature logo of a red circle and slash mark over a ghost holding a chicken wing, features what the name implies: a fun group of aptly dressed ghostbusters with related gear and vehicles. The parade is at 10 a.m. Monday as a craft show of 35 vendors begins an eight-hour selling fest from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Musical entertainment will fill the air all three days, with everything from country and classic rock to honky-tonk and a tribute to the Beatles. That kicks off with the Hastings Duo at 1 p.m. Saturday and Hit N’ Run to close the event from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday. 

All of this has been pulled off by a strong core of eight board members, a dozen regular committee members, and “hundreds of volunteers,” Lindsley said. A late decision to move forward with the event meant little lead time (they began about three months ago), and more chores outside of their regular day jobs.

“It typically takes 12 months to plan an event,” Lindsley said. “It’s only possible with a really incredible and talented team. Every one of our members is busy during their workday, and they put in many hours here.”

Committee Vice President Ritchie Kirkum added that a slate of generous donors also made Labor Daze feasible. The event was missed during its pandemic-related hiatus in 2020.

“We’re excited to bring it back after a year. We want to see everyone back and together at Triangle Park,” Kirkum said while helping to build food stands. “We’re really grateful for the sponsors.”

Yet another new offering this year is the big cash raffle. The grand prize is $10,000. Tickets are $25 and only 1,000 are being sold, he said. Proceeds from the cash raffle will help to offset the expenses of the event and go toward future community improvement projects and other committee goals. Kirkum and Lindsley noted the in-kind services donated by the village and town, such as assisting with necessary permits, road closures, and signage for the event. 

Given the event’s epicenter is Triangle Park, it is only fitting that a small celebration is to honor the longtime staple of this community. Triangle Park was gifted to the community in 1921. Oakfield Historical Society members will pay tribute to the park’s 100th birthday with a centennial dedication and a little local history at 11 a.m. Sunday. 

The only other item on their list now is good weather. A recent forecast shows moderate temperatures in the 70s and cloudy sunshine. 

“We’re really happy it’s not going to be in the 90s, and it will be cooler weather,” Lindsley said, acknowledging perhaps the only activity that’s truly climate dependent.  “There’s also a car cruise. We’ve had up to 80 cars in the past. We’re hoping for great weather ... I wouldn’t be surprised if we have quite a few.”

The 2021 schedule for Labor Daze at Triangle Park is below:

Saturday, September 4:

• 9 a.m.: Oakfield 5K Run or Walk
• 11 a.m.-6 p.m.: Kiddie Fun Daze
• 12:15-2:00 p.m: Balloon Artis
• 1:00-4:00 p.m: The Hastings Duo
• 4:00-7:00 p.m: The Old Hippies
• 7:00-10:00: Mr. Mustard

Sunday, September 5:

• 9:00-10:00 a.m.: Home Grown Gospel
• 10:00-6:00 p.m: Craft Show
• 10:00-11:00 a.m.: Church Services
• 11:00-1:00 p.m:  Craig Wilkins
• 1:00-4:00 p.m: Car Cruise
• 1:00-3:00 p.m:  Genesee Ted
• 3:30-6:30 p.m: Rebel's Posse
• 6:30-9:30 p.m: Ninety West

FIREWORKS!

Monday, September 6:

• 10:00 a.m.: Parade
• 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m: Craft Show
• 11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m: Alexander Firemen's Band
• 12:00-3:00 p.m:  Blonde Over Blue
• 3:00-6:00 p.m: Skycats
• 6:00-9:00 p.m:  Hit n' Run
• Basket and cash raffles to follow

Photo: File photo by Howard Owens

Doubling the space, adding a self-serve beer wall, and providing international entertainment might just put Pizza 151 on the map for craft beer destinations, owner Eric LeVan says.

“It’s a completely different look and feel; we’re very competitive for craft beers,” LeVan said during an interview Tuesday. “I think football season is going to bring in quite a bit. The Tap Room at 151 has 14 taps of all craft beer, and we’ll have bottles of domestic beer as well.”

Not to leave the cider lovers out, the Batavia Tops Plaza restaurant will have one cider available and he is considering some craft seltzers. Though he’s not a big drinker, LeVan has sampled some product and said the cider is pretty good.

“It’s literally like drinking an apple soda.”

LeVan had a partnership when the site was Mark’s Pizzeria in 2012. He later broke out on his own and renamed the place Pizza 151 a day after the Super Bowl in 2019. The entrepreneur owns another branch in North Chili and is co-owner of Bushido Martial Arts in Batavia.

LeVan more recently opted to lease 3,000 more square feet in the adjacent former Family Video site. It has made the space “nice and open” with a more expansive dining area that went from accommodating 20 to at least 100 people, he said.

There are seven televisions, including one with an 85-inch screen, a dine-in menu with about five or six yummy appetizers coming this fall (think soft chewy Bavarian pretzels), and a wireless dartboard system. Not your grandfather’s dartboard game, this one has two cameras that show the player and the board to prevent cheating. Patrons can try their luck with a local or someone across the globe, LeVan said.

“You can see anyone from the world,“ he said, adding that he just played such a game. “He was from Belgium.”

Now for the Tap Room at 151. Set up with an IPourIt draft technology system, diners select from 14 craft beers, which will be on a changing rotational basis per season. The current summer ale will soon be replaced with an Oktoberfest brew. According to IPourIt’s website, Pizza 151 is only one of three places in New York with the same self-serve system and the only one in this region. 

Customers scan their driver’s license to ensure proof of age, get a bracelet, then scan that to make a selection. Contrary to other establishments LeVan has experienced, “nobody’s pushing you out the door,” he said. 

“You’ll have the freedom of ordering how much you want,” he said. “And you can try two ounces of beer to get the taste. (The customer) pours their own beer.”

It’s the type of business for craft beer enthusiasts, he said, versus those who just want to drink. Quality versus quantity type of set-up. That’s not to say you can’t purchase quantity.

“We can make a crowler of any beer on tap,” he said. “(Patrons) can see the whole process. We’ll have some pre-canned of our bestsellers.”

He’s working on offering some tastings to include other area breweries, such as Eli Fish, Rohrbach Brewing Company, and Three Heads Brewing. A beer wall craft beer from Eli Fish, in downtown Batavia, would be a perfect addition, he said.

Two other embellishments are just as enticing, LeVan said. Instead of buying a 20-ounce pop, he now has a Pepsi fountain machine. And all of that drinking may steer people into two nice new bathrooms near the dining area. The rooms each have a TV so that nobody has to miss the action of a game. Recycled kegs for urinals and beer tap handles at the sink are bound to be a topic of conversation.

LeVan expects to hire more people as the pizza shop/taproom gets busier. He already hired a former employee who has beer lessons and expertise under his belt to serve as taproom manager. It has all come together in a fitting environment, LeVan said.

“This is a nichey little area for pizza and beer,” he said.

Pizza 151 is 8351 Lewiston Rd. to the left of the Tops gas station. It is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Check it out at pizza151.com or call (585) 344-2400.

Photos by Howard Owens

Oakfield’s landscape just got more colorful, thanks to a mural painted on the outside of The Goose Community Center at 33 South Main St.

Painted by artist David Burke and Oakfield-Alabama High School alumni Megan and Stephanie Gilman, the open-air agricultural scene is just half the story of the building, co-owner Susan Zeliff says. Inside houses a food pantry, local group meetings, seasonal clothing, stamping classes, and a vision for the future.

“Our big picture for our building is to have a community room available …  for private gatherings (birthday parties, wedding showers, etc.) as well as community meals, anything that will bring the community together,” Zeliff said to The Batavian this week.  “We are planning on having a commercial kitchen and have had people in the community already ask about being able to use it for their canning or baking.”

Other projects on the horizon include a farm market to provide people with easier access to fresh foods, she said, and space for the many bakers and artisans in the community.

“We would love to provide them with a place to sell their creations,” Zeliff said. “We really want our community center to be for the community and to have as many community hands touch it as possible.”

Ever heard of the Goose? It has been a best-kept secret that has more recently been the topic of attention since the mural’s green pasture, farmland, and friendly cows showed up later this summer. The pantry actually began three years ago in a small section of Oakfield-Alabama school. It was moved to the South Main Street site in November 2020. Formerly a Yellow Goose more than a decade ago, the defunct building was dubbed as an acronym for God’s On Our Side Every day. The GOOSE program was an addition to Warrior House of Western New York, a nonprofit founded in 2015 by Zeliff and her husband Peter Zeliff Jr. 

Godly Warriors

Warrior House began as a way for the Zeliff couple to bring veterans together a few weekends a year to hunt on some of the couple’s farmland. 

“When we became aware of the need for food in our community we decided to add this program to our already existing nonprofit,” Mrs. Zeliff said.  “Our mission for the Warrior House started with veterans, who will always hold a special place in our hearts, but the reality of life is that many people in our community are in need of the camaraderie that we offer to our veterans.

The hunting events not only brought veterans together, she said, but also volunteers to provide the meals and guides to lead the hunts. Central to it all has been a sense of camaraderie, empathy, and healing around food, whether it’s a quick breakfast or lingering dinner. 

Some people may not understand what it is like to not be able to put food on the table or struggle to provide basic needs for one’s family, Mrs. Zeliff said.  

Tending to Need

“This is where the food pantry plays out,” she said.  “If we were not dealing with Covid I would challenge everyone to spend time in their child’s school.  You will truly see the cracks in your community if you do.  Children will tell you stories that will bring you to your knees and leave you holding back tears and not being able to sleep at night.”

Just as she envisions the big picture for the Goose, Mrs. Zeliff, of Oakfield, opens her eyes wide for her community. This project is about more than treating a symptom. It catches the residual “trickle-down effect” as well, she said.

“When your straight-A school-loving student sits in class with a child who has problems at home and brings them to school, that is directly impacting your family,” she said. “This is not just an Oakfield thing; this is a life thing happening everywhere.”

The Zeliffs are honored to be able to do what they can, even when it seems to be the simplest of tasks:  providing children and families with food to alleviate their current circumstances of having a hungry child, she said. The husband and wife team once each owned a business in Oakfield and have enjoyed the area, she said. 

When the dreadful Covid pandemic hit, the couple made another investment after the school pantry had to be moved out. Purchasing the Goose building was “an opportunity to serve more families in the community with their food needs,” Mrs. Zeliff said, crediting fellow helpers Katie Zimmerman, Bridget Campbell, Kendra Lamb, Candace George, Melissa Domoy, and Elementary School Principal Lynn Gehlert for establishing the new pantry location. A community garden, developed on land provided by Bonduelle and run by Audra Delpriore and a garden committee, contributes fresh vegetables and fruits. Foodlink is the consistent supplier of food for the pantry and community members, churches and businesses have been steadfast donors to the cause.

Inside Out

It seemed only natural to bring some of that generous allegiance outdoors with a piece of artwork for public view. Through a conversation with Tammy Hathaway of United Way, Mrs. Zeliff was directed to GO ART! for assistance with the project. The organization referred her to artists, including David Burke. 

Burke has been painting since he was a youngster, and his mural works can be seen in Bergen, Tonawanda, and Batavia. His artwork is to be featured in a show of paintings at GO ART! in Batavia this September.

Fellow artists Stephanie Gilman, an Oakfield-Alabama 2016 graduate, and Megan Gilman, a 2019 graduate, assisted Burke with the creation. The Gilmans have also created art for the Oak Grill Car Show T-shirts, the Town flag, and a design for Kenmore Mercy Hospital’s Quiet Hours signage.

The list goes on with other pantry helpers Oakfield-Alabama National Honor Society, Student Council, and other high schoolers that have painted, planted flowers, and/or worked at the pantry. Some 20 volunteers assist with pantry chores, organize clothing donations or hand out books to families.

And the Zeliffs are grateful for each one of them.

“It truly takes a lot of hands to make it all run smoothly and we are very blessed to have these hands,” Mrs. Zeliff said.  “It is important to us that our youth see the importance of caring for others in the community you live in.  They may grow up and move on to bigger or maybe even smaller communities, and we hope that what we are doing with this building will make them want to be an active part of any community they live in.  We want them to be the branch of an Oak tree where ever they go.  They are our future.”

Since opening the doors at 6 p.m. on Veteran’s Day last year, the Goose has served more than 100 families. The building interior is not exactly beautiful, she said, but “we are doing beautiful things within its walls.”  There have been lessons along the way, from the beauty of how conversations can open up new opportunities to how everyone is born with some type of gift, she said, and many people have generously offered what they have. She also added timing to a lesson learned.

“God totally has the steering wheel on this whole thing we are doing,” she said. “I am not typically a patient person, and this whole project has been slow, but it has been very steady and I can take no credit to that. I believe it is all God and it is definitely happening on his timeline.”

The pantry is open from 9 to 10 a.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Clothing and footwear are collected and distributed on a seasonal basis, from spring and summer items and back-to-school wear to winter coats and boots. 

This project was made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!

Top photo by Arielle McVay. Photos below by Jim Burns.

In a new world of all things virtual — from business meetings and telemedicine to therapy sessions — it may be no surprise that piano teacher Laura Kauppi took to this new existence with the same passion she has for her craft. She has evolved from private individual lessons to group sessions online.

“I really like virtual camps,” Kauppi said during an interview with The Batavian. “They’re very parent-led. I’m just giving parents an opportunity to do things with their kids. It’s not fair that extracurriculars are only for people with money.”

Enter Zoom, the popular online meeting room for groups of people. Kauppi’s Zoom camps opened up creative opportunities for children and parents alike, and at a price that fits everyone’s music level: free.

The camps were an extension of Kauppi’s virtual piano lessons. In an effort to reach more children, the lessons were done in groups for kids 5 to 14. They learned the basics using both hands, she said. Kauppi, a resident of Corfu, drew attention through online posts and handing out flyers at special events and with candy at Halloween. More than 40 students from Batavia to Buffalo have reaped the benefits so far.

Kauppi’s hope is to instill some musical aptitude before kids get older and move on to college. Her latest endeavor is to begin even earlier with a toddler program for 1- to 5-year-olds. Those lessons involve fun activities such as dancing and clapping to music and playing rhythm games, she said. Kauppi instructs the parents so they in turn can assist their children during and in between sessions.

“So the parent can replicate the lessons ... putting music in their days,” she said.

As for the cheap price tag of the program — all free — Kauppi’s intent is sincere, she said. Going virtual incorporates music into the lives of kids who may not otherwise be able to participate. It also alleviates the need for transportation to her home, she said. 

“I just want to be able to offer kids this experience,” she said.  “I get a lot from teaching these kids. I've learned so much about hope, strength, tenacity and hard work from them. They make me remember why I love teaching.”

You may remember Kauppi when she first offered piano lessons to low-income children four years ago. It was formerly called Every Child Music School, which has been changed to The Arts Are For All. The veteran teacher of more than 15 years wants to continue the career she has loved while paying it forward.

“I want others to have the same opportunities I have had,” she said. 

The virtual music class for toddlers will run two Sundays a month beginning in September. Class for ages 1-3 is at 2:15 p.m. and for ages 3-5 at 2:30 p.m. For more information or to register, call Kauppi at 585-861-0153.