fundraiser

A sold-out crowd packed Batavia High School last evening for the fifth annual Mr. Batavia Competition hosted by its student government.

The mission behind the community fundraiser is to “take care of BHS,” said Lisa Robinson, student government advisor.

Twelve seniors participated in these categories: Dance, Talent, Question & Answer, Swimsuit, Lip Sync and Tux Walk.

The contestants were: Jerry Reinhart, Dominic Brown, Campbell Andersen, Casey Radka, Cody Dioogardi, Sam Bartz, Quentin Branciforte, Ryan Bieniek, Casey Ausin, Joe Allegue, Freddie Cunningham and John Currier.

Lisa said they raised a new record of $4,500 for the local charities chosen by the top three winners. Habitat for Humanity is winner John Currier's charity; first runner-up Ryan Bieniek selected All Babies Cherished; second runner-up was Quentin Branciforte, whose charity of choice is Anna’s Wish Inc.

The judges were: Kaitlin Logsdon, cocreator of Mr. Batavia, past BHS student and senior at Ithaca College; Shawna Murphy, Batavia City Schools Board of Education member; Jim DeFreeze, Batavia City Police officer; and Matt Morasco, Batavia City fireman.

Tuxedos for the event were provided by Charles Men's Shop and Reed Eye Associations donated sunglasses to the dozen seniors who competed.

To view and or purchase photos go to: Steve Ognibene Photography

Some scouts and Committee Chair Paul Marchese, from Troop 6006 from the First United Methodist Church in Batavia, are pictured above preparing for their fundraising drive this Sunday.  

The troop will be going door-to-door locally in Batavia this Sunday, Dec. 4th, in the afternoon between 1-4 p.m. collecting bottles and pop cans to help support their troop efforts to purchase new gear for future camping trips.

If you would like to make a donation of returnables, you can directly make a donation at Eastown Beverage during normal business hours under the Troop 6006 account or contact Steve Ognibene at 585-409-8358 to arrange a pickup in the city anytime.

The 15th Annual Wonderland of Trees Gala opens this Friday Nov. 18th at 7 p.m. at the Holland Land Office Museum at 131 W. Main St., Batavia.

Featuring decorated trees by local area businesses, food, music, a basket raffle and silent auction with proceeds to benefit the museum. The trees will be on display until Jan. 4.

The costs are $25 per ticket or $40 per couple. R.S.V.P. is required to attend. Tickets are available in person at the museum, by phone 585-343-4727 or online at www.dailynewstickets.com

Pictured above is the Batavia Business Professional Women's Club tree.

Batavia Girl Scouts Tree

Robin Weinstein is pictured with a menorah, "The Festival of Lights."

The ARC of Genesee Orleans tree

Press release:

Please support the next fund-raising efforts of the Batavia Business and Professional Women's Club by joining us for our Oct. 15 Basket & Live Auction and Dinner. It's being held at the Ascension Parish Hall on Sumner Street in Batavia. Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6. Tickets are on sale now for $20 each or two for $35 and include appetizer, dinner, dessert and a sheet of basket raffle tickets. 

This is sure to be a FUN event! Theme:  Mexican Fiesta. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year. We encourage both men and women  to attend. We have had some amazing donations to date with more coming in each day. 

To purchase tickets or if you cannot attend and would like to donate a basket, gift card or other item(s) to the auction, please contact Michelle at 585-297-0779 or send an email to bataviabpw@gmail.com. Tickets are pre-sale only.

Statement from the BBPW:

The Batavia Business and Professional Women’s Club (BBPW) has been an active part of the community now for 95 years. The group works together to help improve the lives of others. Throughout the year its members raise money through various activities to provide scholarships for local high school seniors, Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP) students and adult GCC students as well as provide Service Award donations to several local charitable organizations. 

The BBPW chose five high school students to each receive a $750 check to support their educational and career goals, one Genesee Community College (GCC) adult student received a $500 scholarship award and two Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP) students each received a $250 scholarship award.

Additionally, BBPW club members voted at their May meeting on the Service Awards to be distributed and this year. Four $300 checks were awarded. The awards were given to Genesee Cancer Assistance, Crossroads House, Operation Injured Soldiers and Bethany Volunteer Fire Department.   

Batavia Rotary Club’s 14th annual Father’s Day Fly-In Pancake breakfast will be from 7 a.m. to noon this Sunday, June 19, at the Genesee County Airport, 4701 Saile Drive, Batavia. The menu consists of pancakes, scrambled eggs, omelets, sausage, coffee, tea, milk and juice.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children 4-12; children under 4 are free.

"We normally serve about 1,500 people but expect over 2,000 people because it coincides with the grand opening of the new Genesee County Airport terminal," said breakfast Chairman Paul Marchese.

Presale tickets are available from any Rotarian, Marchese Computer, or can be purchased at door for the same price.

All of the proceeds are used by Batavia Rotary to support many local agencies as well as help fund our college scholarships given to three outstanding high school graduates from Batavia, Notre Dame and Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.

Treat your dad, grandpa and yourself to a great breakfast at the Genesee County Airport this Father’s Day.

Pictured from left, Rotarian Susie Ott, Paul Marchese, chairman of the breakfast event, and Batavia Rotary Co-President Paul Saskowski.

Tickets are on sale now for the fourth annual Casablanca Casino Night Fundraiser on Friday, April 29, to benefit abused and neglected children served by Genesee County CASA for Children.

The fun starts are 6:30 p.m. at the Terry Hills Banquet Facility, located at 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

Tickets are $75 per person or $125 per couple and can be purchased at the door or at the CASA for Children office. It is located in the Genesee County Courts Facility Bldg., 1 W. Main St., Batavia. Hours there are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Price includes $500 in casino chips, foodm beer, wine and $10 free play at Batavia Downs Casino. Cash in your "winnings" for tickets in the Chinese auction and a chance to win valuable prizes.

The event is sponsored by Main St. Pizza Company, Batavia Downs Gaming, Terry Hills and CASA for Children.

(Photo above from left, back row (adults): Elba Troop 42222 leader Darcy Sewar, Oakfield Troop 42141 leader Jeanine Corbett, Laurie Shepland  -- VP of Human Resources, Ian Wetherbee -- volunteer coordinator, and Norm Hubbard, Golf Tournament Committee chair. Girl Scouts, front row, from left: Ariana Wolff, Laci Sewar, Rylee Wissinger, Abby Gardner and Ava Flores.)

Chapin International, Inc., is hosting its upcoming 8th Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 8, at Terry Hills Golf Course, 5122 Clinton Street Road, in Batavia. Each year employees raise funds to support local organizations.

“In past years we have chosen the Domestic Violence group of the YMCA, Crossroads and last year the Boy Scouts,” said Norm Hubbard, Golf Tournament Committee chair.

This year’s selected charitable organization is Girl Scouts of Western New York.

The charity fundraiser started out raising $2,000 and last year we raised over $6,000 for the Boy Scouts. Each year it has steadily increased. There are 27 hole sponsors, along with many other local contributors. The more sponsors we get will equally be divided up and recognized throughout the tournament.

Below, Girl Scouts from Elba and Oakfield troops stuff 200 golf appreciation bags provided by Chapin.

With more than 750 mailings locally, we have three local car dealerships sponsoring a hole-in-one and chance to WIN a car as one of the special events: Castilone Chrysler Dodge and Jeep, Ken Barrett Chevrolet Cadillac, and Toyota of Batavia.

“There is no large prize for winning because we want to keep the charity in mind,” Norm said. "We recognize teams that are mixed, men, and women including Chapin’s employees. Other special events include closest-to-the-pin, longest drive, closest-to-the-line and a chance to win a set of golf clubs on the day of the event only."

The registration starts at 11 a.m. with a putting contest for a chance to sink a put and win a recliner from Max Pies Furniture as a Grand Prize. Multiple puts that sink go into a draw pool to decide the winner. There supplemental prizes, too, and lunch for everyone at noon so nobody is left out and everyone will walk away with a prize.

The golf shotgun starts at 1 p.m. and wraps up at 6, with dinner and awards following.   

To register, sponsor or donate visit the tournament Web site at:  http://www.chapincharitygolf.com/

A Go Fund Me page has been created to help the family of David Campbell, a Batavia father who drowned in a work-related accident.

So far, the page, "A Community to Help the Campbell's"  has raised more than $15,000 by 207 people in six days. The goal amount is $18,000. The page was created by Melissa Blaisdell.

According to the description on the page, the fundraiser was started to assist with the daily needs of his wife, Renee, and their three children, Harper, age 6, Camille, age 4, and Harlan, age 2. Members of the community wanted to do anything they could to help his wife and kids and make sure the family knew they are not alone.

If you would like to donate to the family, click here.

Campbell was a construction worker for The Pike Company and drowned while working in a boat under the Inner Loop bridge in Downtown Rochester on June 24 the Democrat & Chronicle reported. When Campbell was working, the boat tipped over in the Genesee River and his safety line trapped him under water. 

He was a 31-year-old Batavia resident and a 2001 graduate of Alexander Central School. According to information supplied by Michael Tomaszweski Funeral & Cremation Chapel, he enjoyed going on vacations to the mountains with his family, camping, snowmobiling and four-wheeling.

"He accomplished much in only 31 years, touching the lives and hearts of everyone he came in contact with; friends, neighbors or strangers," his obituary stated. "His infectious smile and selfless attitude will forever comfort those left behind."

The third annual Casino Night Fundraiser to benefit abused and neglected children served by Genesee County Casa for Children will be held at Terry Hills Banquet Facility on Friday, April 24.

It starts at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $50 per person, and that includes $500 in Casino chips, food, beer, wine and $10 in free play at Batavia Downs Casino. Cash in "winnings" for tickets to Chinese auctions and a chance to win valuable prizes.

To purchase tickets or to sponsor this event visit:

CASAblanca.geneseecountycasa.org

In addition to Terry Hills and Batavia Downs Casino, sponsors include Ameriprise Financial Woodward & Associates, and National Fuel.

Emily Edgerton, Payton Malloy and Amanda Malloy

Payton Malloy, a 13 year old from Oakfield who is an animal loving class clown, is entering this new year with increasingly difficult obstacles.

Payton has very complex medical problems which originated at birth and involve both physical and mental disabilities. These problems have been getting worse over the past year and have been affecting the family greatly. As the problems grow, Payton is losing the skills she has worked hard to learn and the skills many take for granted.

At times, she has trouble climbing stairs, walking and sleeping due to chronic pain. She will be undergoing two surgeries in the next few months on her knee and will be needing specific equipment including a wheelchair/adult stroller, stair lift and other necessary components.

“The hardest thing is what we are going through right now-- the possibility of her losing all of her skills, not being able to walk -- something that she worked so hard for,” said Amanda Malloy, Payton’s mother. “She is going to be 14 soon and there is all of the teenage stuff that I feel like we are going to miss out on like prom and driving and all that kind of stuff, and that is kind of hard for us and it is an everyday struggle. But, we are so fortunate for the things that she can do that I try not to let the negative overcome the positive. We are just fortunate for what she is able to do.”  

Although Payton is struggling, this does not alter her bubbly presence nor her ability to stay strong in hard times.

”The best part [about being Payton’s mother], I would say is just watching her learn and grow and enjoy life so much. Even though she has so many obstacles in her way, she doesn’t let anything bring her down. I mean, she inspires me every day,” Amanda said.

To help out, Payton’s best friend of six years, Emily Edgerton, created and planned “Wheels for Payton.”

“I just want to be able to help the family because they are going through so much and I want to help Payton,” says Emily.

Payton’s family is increasingly thankful for Emily’s support and presence in Payton’s life.

“There are no words to express my gratitude for Emily. This was all her idea. She is a really important part of Payton’s life. Payton looks forward to seeing her every day and if she doesn’t get to see her, she gets very emotional and upset and it kind of interferes with her day,” Amanda said. “She opens her heart to Payton and to us. She is always offering her help in doing things, watching Payton, etc.. We just really want Emily to be recognized for the good person that she is. She did not have to do this.”

“Wheels for Payton” will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. this Saturday, Jan.10, at Oakfield-Alabama High School. It will include a spaghetti dinner and basket raffle. Pre-sale tickets are $6 and the tickets bought at the door will be $8. The food can been eaten there or taken home. All proceeds will benefit Payton. If you need any information, contact Teri Roberts at 519-2747.

“This [fundraiser] would mean that we could provide things that Payton has to have," Amanda said. "These are not luxury items and these are not things that we want to spend our money on. We would love to go on vacations and buy whatever we wanted but that is just not the case and these items that Payton needs are thousands of dollars. Fortunately, we have people like Emily and Teri, who are willing to volunteer their time and help us. These things will help us improve the quality of life for Payton and make it easier for us to take care of her.”

The family is overjoyed by the amount of support they get from the community.

“This is one of the benefits of having a small community because everyone is willing to help. I mean people who don’t even know Payton ask what they can do. It is just really nice to just see that because there is so much bad in the world. It is just nice to see that people are still willing to be helpful,” Amanda said.

Public support has already touched the lives of the Malloy family and they are very thankful. They hope many people can come out this Saturday to eat spaghetti and raise money for the fun-loving and inspiring Payton Malloy.