Boy Scout Troop 650 hosted a Breakfast with Santa on Sunday in Alexander.  More than 300 people atteneded.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

You are invited to attend a waffle breakfast on Saturday, November 11 th from 7AM to 10AM at Bontrager Auction Center in Batavia, NY! Come and enjoy all-you-can-eat waffles, sausage, coffee and all the fixin’s! Admission is $10. Non-perishable food donations for those in need are also being accepted at this event.

All funds raised at the breakfast support the Christian Missions & Relief Sale, a benefit auction planned for August 10 th, 2024. This sale is seeking to support efforts to further God’s Kingdom through two organizations: Christian Aid Ministries and the East African Initiative. Christian Aid Ministries is a organization working to provide relief and the Gospel to those in areas of crisis and need around the world. East African Initiative is an effort of Christians in Western NY to train and minister to church
leaders in growing East African Churches.

Tickets are also being sold pre-sale. For tickets or more information on this event, contact Zak Jantzi, (585) 409-7408.

Sponsored post donated by The Batavian.

There will be a big craft fair on site

The Batavia Notre-Dame Hockey team is having a drive-thru car wash today behind Notre Dame High School parking lot, 206 Richmond Avenue until 2 p.m. to help fundraise for upcoming hockey tournaments.

The Batavia Ramparts Squirt III and Peewee III travel hockey teams are having a drive-thru car wash today at J. Leonard McAndrew Funeral Home, 2 Bogue Ave., Batavia, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help fundraise for the next upcoming hockey tournaments.  

They are accepting donations and also offering hot dogs and lemonade too.

Press Release:

Join us Sunday, June 11 for the 26th Annual Notre Dame Foundation Golf, Tennis, and Bocce Tournament. The event is hosted by Terry Hills Golf Course for Golf and Bocce and Batavia High School for tennis.

The event features:

• Four-Person Golf Scramble
• Bocce and Tennis Competition
• Beverages served throughout the day
• Cash Bar and Dinner following completion of the tournament

Registration for Golf begins at 11:30 a.m. Registration for Tennis and Bocce begins at Noon. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m - 12:30 p.m. (included with your registration).

This year the event is being held in honor of Bradley F. Rogers. Mr. Rogers was a devoted Notre Dame supporter, Notre Dame JV and Varsity Basketball coach as well as a Batavia High School track and golf coach.

He will be remembered as a respected educator with a passion for sports and an overwhelming love for his family.  We at Notre Dame take great pleasure in honoring him this year for the legacy he leaves behind.

Join us in supporting Notre Dame High School for a fun day of golf, tennis, bocce, prizes, food, and drinks. We hope to see you there!

Submitted photo from 2021

The area Episcopal churches are holding a Cookie and Pierogi event in support of the Ukrainian people this Friday, May 19. Join us at St. James Church, 405 East Main St., Batavia between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (or until sold out) for pierogi by Halnyna and cookies by St. James bakers and
friends, cash only.

St. James has joined with St. Peter's Eggertsville to assist a Ukrainian family's transition to the U.S. The mother of the family is helping to support her family by making pierogi and will be present at the sale. Proceeds will be shared with the family and Episcopal Relief and Development designated for Ukrainian humanitarian relief.

Our previous cookie and pierogi events sold out quickly, so come early for best selection. Community support would be most welcome and appreciated.

The Mr. Batavia event -- in its 10th year and featuring 10 contestants on Friday -- has been a great tradition at Batavia High School, said Lisa Robinson, chairperson of the annual contest. 

Not only is the event a source of local entertainment featuring Batavia High School students, but it also serves as a fundraiser for charities, mostly right here in Genesee County. 

"I am so incredibly proud and very appreciative of all past and present hostesses, contestants and committee members, as well as the amazing staff who has supported myself and everyone involved over the years.  I could not do it without them," Robinson said.

Friday's event surpassed $5,000, bringing the 10-year fundraising total to nearly $38,000.

Each contestant performed their best in different categories, such as group dance, talent, swim strut, lip-sync, tux walk, and question and answer.

Brendan Burgess will get 50 percent of proceeds to donate to his charity, Volunteers for Animals.  When they read his name, his first thoughts were "all the money for the charity for such a good cause."

"I was thinking of my fellow contestants on how much work we all put in.  My coaches, my family, on how much they all supported me through the process," Burgess said.  "I really strengthened my friendships with my close group of friends, and some I have not talked to over a couple years. It helped bond us together even more.  It’s really awesome to come together and make new friends and strengthen those connections."

There was a tie for second place.  They were Cooper Fix (Ricky Palermo Foundation) and Fabian Vasquez (Golisano’s Childrens Hospital).  They will each get 25 percent of the proceeds to donate to their charities.

Vasquez said it was a "shell-shocking, amazing feeling" to win. 

"I was really impressed with this and we all put a lot of hard work and dedication into this," he said. "I don’t feel like there (were) any flaws and we put on a really good show tonight, and I hope it’s loved for many years for those who attended."

Fix had similar positive sentiments about the experience, regardless if he won or not.

"I was so excited and happy, I didn’t expect to place. There were so many talented guys out here that it could have gone either way, so I was so excited especially to share it with one of my friends; it was a great feeling," Fix said.  "We were all friends coming into this, but we got so much closer, seeing each other every day before school, working hard with each other every day it’s like building a new family."

Other contestants and their charities were:

• Garrett Schmidt – All Babies Cherished
• Ifran Armstrong – Crossroads House
• Aidan Anderson – Batavia VA
• Aden Chua – Genesee Cancer Assistance
• Alex Johnson – Dave McCarthy Foundation
• Shawn Kimball – Habitat for Humanity
• Michael Marchese – Batavia Community Schools

Judges were Michelle Gillard, Batavia Business & Professional Womens Club; Christian Yunker, Owner/Managing Member at CY Farms/Batavia Turf; Jay Gsell, retired Genesee County Manager; Carly Scott, hostess of Mr. Batavia 2015; and Jordan Fluker, winner of Mr. Batavia 2015.

Hostesses were seniors, Clara Wood, Maya Schrader and Lucy Taggart.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

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