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Pictured above from left are Norm Hubbard, Golf Tournament Committee chair, Chapter 166 Commander Paul Gaylord, and Doug Titus, hospital service coordinator.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

Disabled American Veterans Chapter 166 of Batavia is the charitable organization chosen by Chapin International, Inc., host of the upcoming ninth annual Chapin Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday Aug. 13^th, at Terry Hills Golf Course, 5122 Clinton Street Road in Batavia.

This particular group was chosen because they have no outside sources for funding, said Norm Hubbard, golf tournament chair. They only get contributions from the local American Legion, and VFW, to name a couple.

"If we let other people know about this organization and the services they provide, maybe this can provide a foundation for them for the future and get more people to contribute to them," Hubbard said. "Last year we raised $8,500 for the Girl Scouts of Western New York. This year our goal is $10,000. My personal goal is $12,000.

The organization of the Disabled American Veterans DAV organization is raising funds for this tournament specifically for the Van Fund to order to transport all the vets to their appointments.

"We have six vans -- two of which have over 100,000 miles that are in need of replacing," Hubbard said. 

"Currently 13 drivers carry 183 veterans and 79 others not on their roster to appointments daily, which is quite the juggle," said coordinator Doug Titus. "We are trying to raise more awareness for the need in Genesee County at our local chapter needs assistance to provide help for our veterans."

Commander Paul Gaylord said "We get the donations to the chapter, in turn Doug buys the van, gets registered and the government takes over to make repairs, (pay) costs for fuel, but vehicles need to be purchased and to do this we need help from outside sources.

"Some vans have to be modified to make it handicapped accessible for carrying veterans. The modification costs can be as much as $18,000 or more to do this, which brings the total up to $35,000 to $40,000."

Right now only the wheelchair-bound veterans have a van that does this.

The local chapter has no Web site or funding for one online.

The office location is at: VA Western NY Healthcare System, 222 Richmond Ave., Batavia NY 14020. The contact there is Doug Titus, hospital service coordinator, 585-297-1170.

The tournament starts at 1 p.m. shotgun start at Terry Hills Golf Course. Cost is $70 per person, which includes dinner, lunch starting at 11 a.m., with registration starting at that time also. Everyone will walk away with prizes in this tournament, Hubbard said. When you register online, you get a year subscription to "Golf Digest" magazine for free, too.

For last year's golf tournament benefitting Girl Scouts of Western New York, there were 168 participants.

"This year we anticipate a 90-percent return ration and getting 200-plus participants," Hubbard said.

This year’s special events are:

• Hole-in-One, Win a car! Each set of nine holes have a par three at #7, #12, #25 hole, where you have a chance to win, courtesy of our three hole-in-one sponsors: Castilone Chrysler Dodge and Jeep, Ken Barrett Chevrolet Cadillac and Toyota of Batavia.
• Closest to the Pin
• Longest Drive
• Closest to the Line

(A male and female winner will be named for each designated hole.)

• Putting Contest starting after registering anyone who sinks a put will have a chance to win a chair from Max Pies Furniture store.
• Mulligans and Skins -- $20 per team

Questions regarding the registration contact Norm Hubbard at nhubbard@chapinmfg.com or 585-343-3140, ext. 3018, by cell phone 585-409-7575

To register your team, sponsor or donate go to: www.chapincharitygolf.com

(Photos by Steve Ognibene.) (Above, 6-year-old Lilian Gary paints a clay mushroom.)

During the school Spring Break, some families go out of town and some stay local to enjoy with friends and family from out of town. Parents are still working during the day and looking for an opportunity for learning something new.

This week GO ART! offered its first Creative Arts Camp in the Seymour Place buildingin Downtown Batavia and hopes many others will follow.

The camp sold out. All this week, 28 students in grades two to six participated in many different activities like: drumming, Colombian dance, steel drums, photography class, drawing and theater.

Director Jennifer Gray said they wanted to give kids a small snippet of a little bit of everything in the creative world and include different tastes of performing arts, music, dance and visual arts as part of it. If parents are not aware coming from an arts background, this camp offers what they might not get in school and pique some future interests for the students.

(Above, Director Jennifer Gray giving a drawing lesson to 11-year-old Hunter Kelsey on a graphic abstract.)

GO ART! also plans to offer one-day drop-in camps during the summer and they are looking to offer a younger camp for toddler, pre-K to second-grade kids, and perhaps one for middle school students.

They want to thank generous sponsors for this event: Applied Business Systems -- ABS, T-Shirts Etc., Art Ah La Carte, Design by the Hour, and Glass Roots.

For more details on this event go to: http://www.goart.org/

Also Facebook page: GO ART!

Above, 10-year-old John Riley participating in a Performance Theater segment taught by Assisant Director Gregory Hallock.

Above, Director Gray teaching painting on model clay to elementary students.

Pictured above are members of the Batavia Sea Devils who competed in YMCA New York State Swim Meet held this past weekend at University of Buffalo.  

It was an outstanding and the Sea Devils had four swimmers that brought home championship titles.

Maiya Reinhart won the 13-14 girls 50 free, 100 free, and the 100 fly; Chris Lemley won the 15-19 boys 100 backstroke; Jackson Fix won the 9-10 boys 50 backstroke; and Aaron Trelevan won the 9-10 boys 100 free.

Maiya set a new state record in the 50 free with a time of 24.51. In addition, the following individual Y records were set: Lauren Hume (15-19 girls) 50 free, 100 free, and 200 free; Alex Kunes (15-19 boys) 500 free and 100 breast; Maiya Reinhart (13-14 girls) 50 free; Cooper Mattice (11-12 boys) 200 IM; and Jackson Fix (9-10 boys) 50 back. 

Batavia Y records were broken in the girls 15-19, 200 Free relay by Maddie LaGrou, Elle Fulton, Lauren Hume, and Maiya Reinhart. 

The relay team of Reagan Bifarella, Norah Janes, Elle Fulton and Maiya Reinhart broke two relay records for the girls 13-14 age group, the 200 Medley Relay and the 200 Free Relay.

For all the results go to: http://www.yswimmingnewyork.org/ 

To learn more about joining the Batavia Sea Devils go to their Facebook page here: Batavia Sea Devils

Photo and info provided by parents of the Batavia Sea Devils.

The second production of Shakespeare’s "As You Like It" finishes up the last show tonight at 7:30 at Harvester 56 Theater, located at 56 Harvester Ave., Batavia. The show is directed by Michele Stamp who has directed two shows there.

It’s one of Shakespeare’s comedies, placed in the Forest of Arden. A mother was a duchess who had a sister whose younger sister had usurped the kingdom and banished the older sister. Her daughter remains in court because she is best friends with the usurping duchess's daughter. 

Another story line is where a father has died and his three sons are left to their estate and the oldest son is supposed to be taking care of the younger sons, but he is only taking care of the youngest so he is banished.  All of these people end up in the Forest of Arden. 

The next production at Harvester 56 will be "On Broadway VII" with five musical hits running for two weekends in April. The dates are on April 1-2, with a special dinner theater at Terry Hills Restaurant on April 3, then again at Harvester 56 on April 7-9.

Tickets for tonight’s final show of "As You Like It" can be purchased at the door; $13 adults $10 students/senior citizens or online at Showtix4u, search Batavia Players. Also go to: Batavia Players for more info.

For more photos go to: Steve Ognibene Photography

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The ninth annual GLOW Region (Genesee Livingston Orleans Wyoming counties) Tech Wars Competition was held today at Genesee Community College. Eighteen school districts participated in this year's four-hour event that incorporated technology, skills and competitiveness.

Hundreds of students from both middle and high schools competed in 20 different events. Pictured above is the CO2 cars lined up to be checked in.  

Top three schools that won the overall most awards: Alexander Central School, First Place; Dansville, Second Place; and Warsaw, Third Place.

Since age 12 Brad White, pictured above with his mom Marcia White, has had a passion for producing maple syrup, which started out to be something to try out and process in a small A-frame sugar house.

Sweet Time Farm grew from being their family hobby of just having a couple buckets to purchasing "Out on a Limb Maple Farm" from Shawn Dunning last year. Sweet Time is located at 5680 Webster Road, Wyoming, in Wyoming County.

Since taking ownership in 2015, Nicole and Brad White has to date 14,000 taps that cross lines between Genesee, Wyoming and Livingston counties.

This year has been a bit of a challenge with the warmer temperatures. Brad started tapping trees the first week January that took a couple weeks to produce maple syrup. It has not been a stellar year by any means, he said.

They have been running operations daily here at the farm where the sap runs to a 16,000-gallon holding tank then passes through filters, with reverse osmosis, and UV light to a another holding tank. Daily the family fires up the evaporator and boils 18,000 gallons or more per day depending on weather.

Currently he was getting 1-percent residual sugar coming from the taps. That's about half a crop in the present year, which takes 86 gallons to make a gallon of syrup.  Ideally 2 percent is the 40-1 ratio needed to be most efficient. 

The farm ships 90 percent out bulk wholesale in 55-gallon drums and the rest is sold at the store. They have a handful of farmers markets in the summer time that they supply nearby, which include Pully’s and Crnkovich's Farm Market in Le Roy, Hurd Orchards in Holley, The Farmer’s Wife in Pavillion, and Rob’s Farm market Spencerport.

When maple syrup season is done, the family moves on to pollenating fruit orchards when the apple blossoms come out. They lease out over 800 hives and use 150 hives themselves. The hives are typically stored down south in Georgia to keep them from the cold weather but they were stored up here this year. 

Two Maple Weekends are scheduled with tours hosted at maple sugar houses across New York State: March 19 and 20; and April 2 and 3. Hosting farms will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. those dates.

At Sweet Time Maple Farm this Saturday, planned activities will include an Easter Egg hunt for kids, coloring contest, maple candy in shapes of Easter bunnies, plus more products offered in their store.

For more information go to: http://www.sweettimefarms.com/ 

Facebook Sweet-Time-Maple and their Maple Weekend event.

A1 Pittsford Sutherland hosted A2 Batavia at Gates Chili High School last night in the Far West Regional Qualifier playoff game.  

T Sean Alaya hit two three-point buckets and Malachi Chenault added field goals to lead the Devils 16-12 after the first period. Batavia's defensive play kept Pittsford Sutherland from scoring chances on the paint and the opponents had to change up their game.

Josh Mack scored six points and a steal with Jack Ward, both from Pittsford, to bring the game closer in the second period. However, Batavia's Ryan Hogan dropped a three-pointer and two buckets to keep the Devils lead to 25-22 at the half. Trevor Sherwood added a couple assists.

The third period was led by Batavia as they held Pittsford Sutherland to four points. Holding them to four points was a key to our success, said Head Coach Buddy Brasky. Batavia's Greg Mruczek and Jake Schrider added some defensive play to allow Batavia to increase their lead to nine points 35-26 to end the quarter.  

In the fourth quarter Pittsford Sutherland fouled nine times to bring Batavia to score 14 points. Each time Pittsford Sutherland got the ball they were sinking threes left and right. Kevin Davis and Robbie Doggett combined for five three-point buckets; Jack Ward added four points but the Blue Devils held on and never gave up the lead to win 57-53.

Batavia's top scorers were Chenault 17 points, Hogan 12 and Alaya with 10.

Pittsford Sutherland's top contributors were Doggett 17, Mack 16 and Ward with 14.

Batavia's record increases to 17-7 and will play Section VI Williamsville South with a record of 21-3 this Saturday at Buffalo State College at 7 p.m.

For more photos go to: Steve Ognibene Photography

Batavia Lady Devils had been rolling on a streak, winning their last six straight games. But coming on the court in the first half Monday night, they were very flat-footed and missing opportunities.

Pittsford Sutherland came out hitting five 3-point baskets, and they held the lead by six points after the first quarter 20-14.

Batavia's senior Madison McCulley needed 12 points to reach a 1,000th-point milestone and her hopes were not good after the first half. Hitting one of one from the 3-point line, rimming a couple from underneath, the ball just would not drop for #42. Seniors Tiara Filbert led the first half with 15 points and Sam Cecere had nine.

Pittsford Sutherlands' Mary Bayer had seven points and Lena Kaufmans was three for three, ending with 11 points at the half, and Batavia was down by five, 36-31.

Coach Marty Hein and assistant John McCulley had to get their team back in the game and they did.  

Tiara Filbert came out strong with eight of the 16 points. Batavia scored in the third quarter to lead 47-43. Pittsford Sutherland started making some key errors, was missing baskets, and Batavia took advantage. 

Taylor and Ryann Stefaniak started the charge combining 12 points in the fourth quarter. McCulley sank two buckets to bring her within one point of making her milestone. At the 5:54 mark in the fourth quarter, McCulley made her third straight 3-pointer to get her 1,000th high school career point -- actually 1,002. 

McCulley went to her bench and was embraced by her players (top photo) above, her dad John, and Coach Hein.  

Final score was 71-51 Batavia who is now 8-1 and Pittsford Sutherland drops to 5-5. Next game for Batavia is tomorrow at Genesee Community College where they are hosting a tournament and playing Calmum at 7:45 p.m. in the first round. 

Pictured below is Madison McCulley along with her teammates holding signs of her 1,000th career point tonight. Last year Tiara Filbert made her 1,000th career point on Batavia's home court.

For more photos of last night's game go to: Steve Ognibene Photography

Driving around this time of year you can always find some wonderful displays of Christmas lights and figurines. Since the inception in 2011, Dean Brooks pictured above (family dog "Princess," daughter Mickayla, wife Jennifer and son Spencer) have made this a family activity that has grown over time.

The display at his home at starts getting assembled right after Thanksgiving and usually takes about a week or so depending on weather and family schedules.

"I first started with about 3,000 bulbs, a couple figurines but it has grown to over 7,000 lights and we have been transitioning to a LED display only," Dean said. "The LED lights are brighter, more brilliant of a color, more energy efficient and I can differentiate between those and the incandescent lights.

"The possibilities are huge because the LEDs can be changed to multiple colors."

A new item this year is “talking Rudolph” in the front of the house. The show runs on over an hour then loops back to the beginning through a computer-generated software program and FM transmitter that you can tune into 91.7 when you are in front of his home that the lights and music are synced to.

The plan next year is to expand the megatron tree to have words flashing across it plus much more. The viewing schedule can be found at his Web site http://www.brooksfamilylights.com/

The family's address is 5671 E. Main Street Road, Batavia

Also a Facebook page here: Brooks Family Lights

Local business City Slickers Bar & Grill, 59 Main St., Batavia, will host a fundraiser this Saturday evening from 8 until closing for Buddy Oderkirk Jr., a 19 year old Batavia resident who was diagnosed this spring with a rare form of cancer known as alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. All tips during the night will be go toward Buddy’s medical costs and treatments. 

He has been undergoing an intense regimen of chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries since being diagnosed. Even with medical insurance the family has endured thousands of dollars of out of pocket expenses. A positive attitude and generosity of patrons from the community, he will overcome this very aggressive childhood cancer.

This event is sponsored by Hair Studio 242 and there will be music by Digitill Media Arts during the evening.

There is a Staying Strong for Buddy Facebook page and also a Go Fund Me account, too, to help him out. Donations can also be sent at any time Advanced Podiatry Associates: Canzoneri Joseph, DPM,  2 State St., Batavia NY 14020, or call the office at 585-343-8150 

Pictured above (from left) is Ken Mistler, owner of City Slickers, along with his guest bartenders Taylor Maurer – hairdresser, April Paille -- owner/ hairdresser of Studio 242, Mark Paille, Chiropractor Tom Mazurkiewicz, and bartender Melissa LeSage (not pictured is Dr. Joe Canzoneri).

Pictured above is Batavia chiropractor Dr. Tom Mazurkiewicz and his secretary Brittany Moretti, who are continuing the legacy of Don Carroll.

Mazurkiewicz along with Beth and Brian Kemp from T-Shirts Etc. have joined together to host the annual Toy Drive for Kids at his office, Mazurkiewicz Family Chiropractic 184 Washington Ave., Batavia, this Saturday from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

Tom has been involved for more than 25 years helping Don, who asked him to carry the tradition for him and keep it going in his memory. Mazurkiewicz said that anytime between now (during office hours) until the close of Monday, donors are welcome to bring in an unwrapped toys for ages 2 to 15.

If you come to the event this Saturday, he will offer a free chiropractic adjustment at no charge.

Local nurses from Batavia and Oakfield school districts have provided names of 52 children who will receive the gifts at a private party that is hosted by the Kemps.  

For questions, call (585) 343-9316.

Batavia High School students volunteered early this morning to be featured live on this week's edition of "Friday Morning Lights" on Fox channel 13 Rochester.

Hannah Welker 13WHAM News/FOX Rochester morning reporter was setting up before 6:30 a.m. to prepare for this week's show. Hannah was very impressed with the school spirit of the students at BHS.  

Many athletic teams, including Batavia football, cheerleading and girls volleyball to name a few, attended today's event. The Blue Zoo will be traveling to Rochester this Sunday to cheer on the undefeated Blue Devils at 1 p.m.  

Principal Scott Wilson being interviewed.

Senior co-mayor Sam Cecere being interviewed in front of students from the Blue Zoo.

Meet Senior Josh Kurtz who wears the new mascot uniform for sporting events for Batavia. 

The classes of 2015 and 2016 got together and told the administration that the old mascot uniform was in rough shape. Students lobbied for a new one.

Kutz said, “We needed one that would best represent the school spirit that our student body could give.”

Last night’s girls sectional volleyball matchup in the gymnasium was the first appearance at a sporting a for the restylized mascot.

Batavia Varsity Girls Volleyball beat Geneva in their quarterfinal sectional matchup 25-9, 28-26 and 25-13.

Batavia senior Madison McCulley had one ace and 10 assists to set up her teammates -- senior Tessa Engle with four kills, junior Maria Canzoneri with three kills.

“Maddie McCulley was setting wonderfully, making smart choices and really distributing the balls well," said Head Coach Jeremy Mettler.

Photo above is senior Madision Swiatowy watching her teammate junior Maria Canzoneri with a kill in the second set.

Freshman Ryann Stefaniak, with two kills and two aces, contributed to the 25-9 win in the first set.

The second set Geneva took an early lead coming out serving 10 to five and Batavia took a timeout.

Mettler said, “We need to relax and run our system. Our system is very good. Let’s get Maddie setting up Tessa and Taylor on the outside, but it starts with the pass."

Batavia bounced back taking a 15 to 12 lead and Geneva took a time out. The set went back and forth, exchanging leads and ties through most of the set. 

Senior Tessa Engle added some digs and kills along with Courtney Burns (with a dig pictured below) and Meghan Swiatowy who served to win a few points to tie it up 24 apiece. Timeout was called.

Mettler said, "We need to put the ball in play and hit our targets. We did it in game one and we can do it in game two."

He emphasized that, "we need to play fundamental volleyball and let’s show them what we can do."

To win a set it has to be by two points, but each team tied and exchanged leads while missing serves until Batavia edged them 28-26, which was the highest scoring set the Blue Devils had this season.

The third and eventually last set started out where both teams exchanged leads and ties. At six to six, Junior Courtney Burns had a spike to bring Tessa Engle up to serve and she did. 

Tessa served to win the next eight points for the Devils to take charge of the third set. Geneva gained a point or two, but Meghan Swiatowy added another four, which brought the lead to 21-9. 

Mettler started to pull his starters off the court and Batavia won 25-13.

Highlights for both teams:

Batavia:

Engle – Four aces, eleven digs, 10 kills

McCulley – One ace, four digs, three kills and over 30-plus assists.

Canzoneri – One block, three kills

Meghan Swiatowy – Two aces, two digs

Ryann Stefaniak -- Two aces, three digs, two kills

Taylor Stefaniak – Five digs, eight kills, one block

Maddie Swiatowy -- 13 digs, one kill

Geneva:

Guinan – Two aces, one block, four kills

Legoth – 12 digs, two aces

Maher – One ace, two blocks, five kills

Next sectional game for Batavia is the Semifinals at Gates Chili High School on Tuesday vs. Aquinas at 5:30 p.m.

For more photos go to:

Steve Ognibene Photography

Batavia Girls Varsity Swim Team had its second meet on the road versus Letchworth Wednesday night and captured first place in eight of 11 events. Batavia came up 11 points short at the end the night 92-81.

Eighth-graders Maiya Reinhart and her teammate Norah Janes are pictured above. Maiya came in first place in the 100-meter fly at 1:05:75; Janes came in second with a time of 1:14:17. Norah also came in second in the 200 IM, time 2:45:70

Photo below is of Batavia sophmore Elle Fulton in the 500 freestyle. She came in first, time 6:26:09. Elle also came in second in the 50 freestyle, time 27:88.

Junior Natalie Amico took first place in the 100-meter freestyle 1:01:19 and also the 100-meter backstroke, pictured below, with a time of 1:12:03.

In other events, eighth-grader Anna Amico took first place in the 200 IM and third place in the 100-meter breaststroke. Batavia captured first place the 200 meter free relay with teammates Maiya Reinhart, Norah Janes, Alea Delong and Natalie Amico.  

The team won the 400-meter freestyle relay led by Elle Fulton, Alea Delong, and sisters Natalie and Anna Amico. In the same event, Batavia took fourth place led by Laura Guiste, Lexi Hoerner, Julie Caceres and exchange student Lucila Zane.

Batavia's next match is home today at Genesee Community College versus Wilson Magnet at 4:30 p.m.

For more stats and team schedule go to: www.section5swim.com

The United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol presented awards in a ceremony Thursday evening at The Northgate Free Methodist, 350 Bank St., Batavia.

The CAP Cadet Program introduces thousands of young people between the ages of 12 and 18 to aviation, and offers them summer programs, including some that offer an opportunity to solo in a light airplane at low cost. The CAP Cadet Program is designed to motivate and develop well-rounded young people, who in turn will become model citizens and the future leaders of our nation.

CAP cadets progress at their own pace through a 15-step program that includes aerospace education, leadership training, physical fitness and moral leadership. Cadets can compete for academic scholarships to further their studies in such areas as engineering, science, aircraft mechanics and aerospace medicine. They can also compete for scholarships leading to solo flight training. Cadets have an opportunity to go overseas in exchange programs; some of these exchange cadets get a chance to fly with foreign air forces.

Photo from left is: Cadet Commander C/Capt. Kristen Stewart (Batavia Composite Squadron), Lt. Col. Charles Miller, NY Wing Cadet Programs Officer who presented the awards, C/Capt. Alex Dougherty (Condor Composite Squadron, Perry/Warsaw), and Cadet Deputy Commander  C/Capt. Andersen Campbell (Batavia Composite Squadron) for earning their Amelia Earhart Award.

Not pictured but who earned the General Billy Mitchell Award is C/Capt. Kristen Blue (Condor Composite Squadron, Perry/Warsaw).   

For more information to join the Batavia Composite Squadron , contact Commander 1st Lt. John H. VanderSypen http://falcons253.weebly.com or the Perry location contact: Commander Captain Michael Akey http://www.nywcap.org/CONDOR

(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/

Mike Rickert and Mike Hammond invite you to Godfrey’s Pond's Chicken BBQ fundraiser and open house tomorrow (June 28) from noon to 4 p.m. Tickets are available at the door for $9, which includes, half chicken, salt potatoes, mac salad, fresh corn on the cob, roll and butter, and lemonade. 

Founded as a conversation club in 1909, Godfrey's Pond was originally known as a hunting club and it had about 50 members. Today Godfrey’s Pond is opened year round and has approximately 900 members, Rickert said.

It’s an opportunity for members to stay here and camp, fish, hunt and walk their dogs. The main pond has paddleboats, canoes and is stocked with different varieties of fish. The property consists of 230 acres with nearly a dozen nature trails and much more! A couple times a year a geocache club comes out to put some caches around the property for treasure-hunting events. 

All are invited to the club's second open house this year, tour the property and see the "Adirondacks getaway" in Genesee County, said Hammond, the property caretaker.

He showed me newly designed projects with the Genesee Valley Boces conversation class pictured below.

Railroad ties were used to build a new wall to prevent erosion and to provide steps to sit on. The clubhouse is a great place to host parties and events at no charge for members year round.

The initial call came in at 8:45 p.m. of a two-car accident in the area of 6312 Cole Road. Byron. Byron and South Byron fire departments are on the scene with Byron Rescue Squad and Mercy EMS.

More details pending investigation.

UPDATE (By Traci) 10:06 p.m.: According to State Trooper Stephen Kosowski, the driver of the Saturn was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the Saturn was traveling eastbound on Tower Hill Road and the pickup truck was traveling northbound on Route 237. Witnesses said the driver of the Saturn failed to yield and entered the intersection in front of the pickup truck causing the collision. 

Last evening was the annual Stafford Firemen's Carnival Parade. Here are a couple photos from the event.

For more carnival and parade photos go to Facebook: Steve Ognibene Photography