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The Orchard Park & East Aurora Sun / Saturday, November 15, 2014
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Community remembers Mayor John Wilson By Tim Fenster
ORCHARD PARK SUN EDITOR
There was a seat left open at the village board of trustees meeting Monday. That seat was the middle one which for the last 9 years was held by Mayor John B. Wilson. As former deputy mayor and current acting mayor David Rood explained early in the meeting, the seat was left open out of respect for John Wilson, who passed away Wednesday, Nov. 5. Village offices also closed Monday, Nov. 10, to allow village and town staff to pay their respects at John Wilson’s well-attended funeral at the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church. “The citizens of Orchard Park were fortunate to have such a trusted leader as a friend. … John will be greatly missed and will always be in our hearts,” Rood read from a resolution declaring Monday, Nov. 10 as a day to remember the village’s beloved mayor. A passionate advocate for Orchard Park and village government, John Wilson grew up on Hillside Drive and later worked as an engineering technician for the town of Orchard Park. He joined the village board of trustees in
1999, and was elected mayor in 2005. Friends and colleagues remember him as a strong, assertive leader and a tireless advocate for village government. He was vehemently opposed to the idea of dissolving villages as a way to reduce spending. Outside the village, John Wilson preached his passion for local government through a number of regional and state boards and committees. He served as a legislative representative for the New York State Conference of Mayors, was the president of the Erie County Village Officials Association and had also just become the vice president of the Erie County Governments Association. But locally, the mayor was known more for his assertive demeanor mixed with a jovial, larger-than-life personality. “He looked like a mayor, said Assemblyman Michael “Mickey” Kearns, at a village officials’ meeting the Saturday after Wilson’s passing. “He had that smile, he had that bounce about him and {was} always happy and shaking hands. He was so proud to be the village mayor.” Trustee Joe Wales fondly recalled how John Wilson
Photo courtesy of Hal Fabinsky
John B. Wilson never let his strong – and strongly expressed – opinions interfere with the friendships he’d developed with other trustees. “He would make sure you would know his point – very assertively – but when you looked at him you’d always catch a little wink,” Joe Wales said. After the meeting, Joe Wales recalled how he’d developed a strong friendship with John
Wilson’s son Jeff at South Davis Elementary, and became a regular visitor to the Wilson family household throughout grade school. Jeff Wilson and Joe Wales both played little league baseball, and both their fathers, John Wilson and Joe Wales II, coached as well.
See Wilson Page 2
By Christopher Treacy ORCHARD PARK SUN CONTRIBUTOR
THE SUN
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2014
Clarrification on Orchard Park school district’s maintenance plan In an article titled “Orchard Park School Board Makes Presentation on Maintenance Plan” in the Nov. 8 edition of the Orchard Park & East Aurora Sun, an early reference to the tax impact of the school district’s Health & Safety Capital Improvements Project misstated that the project would come with a tax impact of $17 per $1,000 of assessed value. The project will have an impact of 17 cents per $1,000 of assessed value; $17 per $100,000 of assessed value. The Sun apologives for the error, and any confusion resulting from the error. Voting on the maintence plan will be held at the Orchard Park High School gymnasium from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18. For more information on the project, visit www.opschools. org.
East Aurora resident details life as spirit medium Greg Barnhard has always had an affinity for airplanes. Some guys really love cars, others are into boats or trains. For Barnhard, it’s always been - and continues to be - about navigating the big wide open. A seed was planted during a Disney vacation at the age of 9 that resulted in an introductory flight as a 10th birthday gift. Now he gets to fly a vintage World War Two aircraft, a North American SNJ-4, over Western New York. Barnhard, who lives in Orchard Park and graduated from OPHS, flies professionally for Atlas Air and gives flying lessons. But he’s also involved with the Texasbased Commemorative Air Force (CAF), which has 160 vintage aircrafts under its wing. Apparently, is the largest private air force in the world. The CAF was founded to acquire, restore and preserve - in flying condition - a complete collection of combat
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Orchard Park illustrator publishes first children’s book By Tim Fenster
ORCHARD PARK SUN EDITOR
Art wasn’t Heather Harris’s first career, but it’s perhaps shaping up to be her next. The Orchard Park woman is less than one academic year from receiving her Master of Fine Arts in illustration, and is already releasing her first children’s book, The Swing, this Sunday, Nov. 16. The book, published through Buffalo Heritage Unlimited, sets pictures and a storyline to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic poem “The Swing.” “Robert Louis Stevenson’s poems are so beautiful in its description,” Harris said. “I always loved ‘The Swing.’” Born and raised in Rochester, Harris took an early interest in drawing and illustration, and by high school knew she wanted a career in art. However, this was the 1980s - a time she says was even more difficult to find full-time work as an artist. “Art was not the venue it is now,” Harris said. Instead she enrolled in Syracuse University for a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and later received her Master of Business Administration from the University of Rochester. In 2000, she and her husband, David, began working at Fisher-Price, and so chose to relocate to Orchard Park.
See Harris Page 2
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Orchard Park man Greg Barnhard is an avid flyer and fan of the SNJ-4, a training aircraft used during WWII and into the 1970s. aircraft which were flown by U.S. military services. The organization also preserves some selected aircraft of other nations. “This plane came to us from Cleveland, Ohio,” he
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explained. “The CAF sort member, but you must have of leases out these historical a license to fly their planes, planes to groups of pilots naturally.” - wings - in a number of different locations throughout See Planes the country. You needn’t be Page 3 a pilot to become a CAF
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
AURORA TOWN BOARD .......................... SECT. A PAGE 3
SPORTS............................................... SECT. B PAGES 1 – 3
TRUSTEE JOE WALES ................................ SECT. A PAGE 4
SECT. B PAGES 5 VETERANS DAY........................................SECT.
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BLOTTER ................................................... SECT. A PAGE 5
SECT. B PAGE 6 – 9 CLASSIFIEDS ........................................SECT.
SECT. A PAGES 6 CHAMBER LUNCHEON...........................SECT.
CALENDAR ............................................. SECT B, PAGE 10
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The Orchard Park & East Aurora Sun / Saturday, November 15, 2014
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Wilson ‘would not make decisions without asking for input’ from fellow board members Wilson from Page 1 For several years, when the boys were about 10 to 13 years old, John Wilson and the elder Joe Wales coached together for the Oriels - a team that both mens’ sons played for. Decades later, a blown-up photograph of the team continues to hang in the older Joe Wales’s office - as well as inside the Wilson home. “As a father and son, we had a lot of respect for
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genkamp said John Wilson always asked for the opinions of everybody on the board – even when he didn’t need the board’s approval on the issue at hand. “He would not make decisions without asking for input from the trustees,” Hogenkamp said. “In 14 years on the board, I don’t think we’ve ever come to a decision that wasn’t the best for the village taxpayer.”
Harris from Page 1 Then, about 10 years ago, Harris made the decision to devote more time and focus to art - a decision she partially attributes to the birth of her twins, Hudson and Summer, and the burst of creativity that came with bringing two new little ones into her home. Seeking to refine her skills, she enrolled in the Academy of Art University’s online program for illustration in fall 2008. She’s been making slow, steady progress ever since. “I have a full-time job and a full-time family so {school} can’t be full-time too,” she said. For her thesis project, Harris was tasked to create three manuscripts of children’s books, each consisting of no less than five pages. The first she decided to base off a song called “The Swing” that she and her oldest son, Hunter (now 16), used to sing together in the car. She later learned that the song - which was on a cassette she has since lost was in fact a musical rendition of Stevenson’s poem. The writer’s work was been in the public domain for decades. Using the poem as the basis
for her storyline, Harris began constructing a children’s novel based off her surroundings - a prominent tree in her front yard, the squirrels which inhabit it, even her son Hunter. “Most illustrations are based on things the illustrator knows,” she said. “That’s what makes it feel real.” She began by compiling a cast of characters - in this case, Hunter, his dog Bean, a squirrel and a raven - along with images to give her a sense of each character and objects’ appearance. Sometimes she gleaned the images from online, while other times she took shots of her own yard and utilized Hunter’s old clothes for inspiration. The next step was to find page breaks and draw up images that would advance the story in a cohesive, compelling way. Then, once she had her “rough” black and white sketches, Harris drew up a “dummy book” to send to potential publishers, as a way to prove her illustrating and storytelling prowess. Buffalo Heritage Unlimited was impressed by her dummy book,
Photo courtesy of Heather Harris
Harris will discuss her creative process at a book release event Sunday, Nov. 16 at The Roycroft Inn Power House from 2 to 4 p.m. and agreed to publish The Swing. “I’m definitely going to do more dummy books,” Harris says. But to create the final, finished images, Harris had to go through countless drawings, carefully perfecting the
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Hogenkamp added that he felt confident Rood would continue John Wilson’s legacy. Rood promised a “smooth transition,” saying residents shouldn’t expect to see any changes as he steps in and takes over the work John Wilson left behind. “He trained me well, he gave me a lot of great advice,” Rood said. “I always felt honored he chose me to be deputy mayor.”
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him,” Wales said. “Those are memories you don’t forget.” Some remember John Wilson as a devoted husband as well as father. Trustee Fran Hogenkamp fondly recalled how the mayor would hurry to leave the village offices on his wife, Nancy’s birthday, and on their anniversary. Others still remember him for his careful, considerate attitude toward other village officials and employees. Ho-
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composition and coloring for each page. In some instances, the change was as small as the color shirt Hunter is seen wearing. Other problems were harder for the artist to spot. In one instance, she drew an image of Hunter swinging toward the reader - only to be told it wasn’t appropriate for a children’s book, because you could see up his shorts. All in all, the process took about 15 months, which Harris said felt “accelerated.” An appropriate length of time for a children’s book, she says, is about one and a half to two years. Harris will celebrate The Swing’s publication with a book launch event from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16 at The Roycroft Inn Power House. At the launch, she plans to talk about the creation of the book, the inspiration behind it, and also offer activities and refreshments for children. Harris also notes she will be donating 50 percent of the sales proceeds to Feed My Starving Children - a non-profit that served almost 200 million meals to hungry children last year, according to the group’s website. “I wanted this to benefit others,” she said. For this reason, Harris also is donating a number of her illustrations to Carly’s Club, to adorn the children’s wing at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. As for the future, Harris is currently at work on two more children’s books, “Five Hungry Mice” and “The Fox Went Out On a Chilly Night.” She says her ultimate goal is to author and illustrate her own children’s book. And while she may be open to someday work outside the realm of children’s literature, Harris emphasizes that that is her main passion. “I like these simple themes of childhood because of the innocence of childhood,” she said. You can find The Swing for sale on www.buffaloheritage. com, Amazon and in some local bookstores.
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The Orchard Park & East Aurora Sun / Saturday, November 15, 2014
Aurora adds 20 miles to snow plow routes, boosts efficiency By Christopher Treacy ORCHARD PARK SUN CONTRIBUTOR
In what’s being heralded as a win-win situation all around, the Town of Aurora will be taking on the responsibility of 20 additional miles to its snow-maintenance routes. A motion was passed at the Town of Aurora’s Town Board meeting on Monday, Nov. 10, for Supervisor James Bach to sign an amendment to the standing agreement with Erie County regarding snow removal and ice control. “We’re adding 20 lane miles of road to the town’s plow routes,” Bach said. “In talking with Highway {Department} Superintendent Dave Gunner, we agreed this is going to be a great thing for our residents because the town will now be doing some additional roads like Mill Road, and so forth, which up until now the county has been doing. … And I think the town does a much better job.” Gunner said the additional routing are all prime examples of roadway that the plows are traveling anyway, but because of inefficient planning, have fallen under other jurisdictions. “This is about providing a better service,” Gunner said. “And Erie County will benefit from the efficiency as well.” After the meeting adjourned, he elaborated. “This is a two year agreement, and it’s something we’ve been lobbying the county about since 2012,” Gunner said. “It’s really frustrating to have to lift the plow
when you’re already right there, but it falls to someone else’s responsibility. This way, the actual true miles traveled by our plows are the same, the routes are just much tighter.” Gunner said he wishes that the Village of East Aurora might buy into a new plowing agreement as well, noting that the Town of Aurora is actually divided up between four separate Highways Departments that are crossed between one-another. “I’m confident that this will fit into the budget as we’ve designed it already,” Gunner said, noting that the new agreement was not something that figured into Bach’s 2015 budget, which had just officially passed earlier in the evening. “Dave runs a pretty sharp department,” Bach said. “I definitely think we should be able to stay within the budget that we set up.” Additionally, the Town Board made a motion to refer a petitioned request for a TE-9 speed study to the Department of Transportation. Residents of Hubbard Road submitted several pages of signatures with a short statement which alleges the current 45 mile per hour speed limit ought to be reduced for the safety of both drivers and pedestrians. The statement cited that the one-and-a-halfto-two lane width of the road combined with, “blind grades and curves, no shoulders, and in many spots, ditches on both sides,” has created a situation worthy of reconsideration.
Tree lighting festival at Absolut Care of Aurora Park announced Music and the Arts of Orchard Park Presbyterian Church is honored to host A Festival Service of Advent Lessons and Carols presented by the Clergy and Choirs of Orchard Park Churches on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014 - 5 p.m. in the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, 4369 South Buffalo St. The Clergy and Choirs from Orchard Park include: Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Nativity of
Our Lord RC Church, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Wesleyan Church of Orchard Park, and Orchard Park United Methodist Church. Please join us for this community service - a wonderful way to begin the holiday season! Please feel free to share this program information widely. Attached is an event flyer. We hope you will join us for this community event.
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WWII-era training planes offer a step ‘back in time’ Planes from Page 1 Groups of licensed pilots sponsor the vintage planes by making a one-time donation, but the CAF is very mindful of making the best arrangement for the aircraft. So, if a wing that’s been sponsoring a plane suddenly becomes financially unstable, the CAF may recall the plane. The onus is on these Buffalo-area pilots to keep this plane here, well maintained and in the air. “Sitting in this plane is definitely like stepping back in time,” Barnhard said. “It hasn’t been too terribly modernized we had to have a modern radio installed, and by modern, I mean from the ‘80s. Everything else is pretty genuine.” He described how the plane’s radial engine “comes to life” one cylinder (out of nine) at a time. Compared to the relative instant startup of new planes, it’s somewhat of a process. Despite this and the fact of the craft’s age (it was commissioned for flight the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor), Barnhard says he feels completely secure flying the plane. “You can make a plane last as long as you want to maintain it,” he said. “We have planes out here built in the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s that are as safe as the day they came out.” He also pointed out that knowing how to fly vintage planes adds an additional level of skill to the modern pilot’s repertoire, as many modern planes now do the lion’s share of the navigating for you. This particular plane was used to train fighter pilots during WWII and into the 1970s. At only 24 years old, Barnard is one of the youngest 747 pilots in the country. One might also say he’s particularly young to have so much enthusiasm for vintage aircrafts. This is
Photo by Daniel Maloney
It’s not cheap for the Buffalo Heritage Squadron to maintain old planes like the SNJ-4 (above) - aviation fuel costs $6.50. a potential boon for the CAF, whose members tend to average a fair bit older. The Buffalo Heritage Squadron, as they call themselves, are saddled with the responsibility of raising upwards of $25,000 for the plane’s 2015 budget. As an impassioned, younger group, they might just be able to do it.
“These planes are not cheap to maintain, with aviation fuel running $6.50 a gallon,” he said. “But we firmly believe that future generations will benefit from understanding what we had to work with bank then. The worst thing you can do to a plane is to just let it sit idle.”
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The Orchard Park & East Aurora Sun / Saturday, November 15, 2014
to the W W W. O R C H A R D P A R K S U N . C O M
Want to share your opinion with us? Dear Orchard Park & East Aurora residents: Do you ever feel the need to get something off of your chest? Do you have something important to say, but don’t know how to get your voice heard? Well, welcome to the Orchard Park & East Aurora Sun “Letter to the Editor” page. The letter to the editor page is designed to have community members write in and voice their concerns and/or opinions. If you have a town issue that you would like to address, please send me a letter. If you want to recognize someone for doing a good deed, please send me a letter. Any topic that you feel is important, I would like to hear about it. All that I ask is that the letter be well written and that you include your name and address in the letter as well. Please refrain from using any profanity or name calling for that will not be published in the paper. The letter to the editor is strictly a constructive way for the community to voice their opinions on matters and have it be published for our readers. I hope that this opportunity will pique your interest. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please send your letters to: Attn: Tim Fenster, OP Sun Editor Community Papers of WNY 75 Boxwood Lane Cheektowaga, NY 14227 Email: tfenster@orchardparksun.com
PRSA annual meeting to feature 43North
As part of its 2014 annual meeting, the Buffalo Niagara Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America will present “Eyes on the Million Dollar Prize: Bringing 43North & Buffalo to the World” from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20 at the Foundry SuitesTaylor Room, 1738 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo. Register online at www.prsabuffaloniagara.org or call 508-0277. During the event, board members will be elected for the 2015 year, recent APR recipients will be recognized, and remarks will be presented from both the outgoing and incoming chapter president. On Feb. 5, 43North – the world’s largest business idea competition, with $5 million in cash prizes to attract entrepreneurs to Buffalo – was launched. By May 31, the competition had received 6,932 applications from 96 countries and all 50 states. The program will focus on how the 43North marketing team worked closely with their marketing/communications vendors and communi-
ty partners to formulate and execute a plan that resulted in more than 14 million social media impressions and coverage in media outlets like Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Financial Times and Toronto Star. Panelists include: Andrew J. Pulkrabek, executive director, 43North; Peter Burakowski, senior marketing manager, 43North; Jenna Kavanaugh, marketing and communications director, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise; and Matt Davison, founder and principal, AMDG Public Affairs. Registration begins at 11:15 a.m. and the program will conclude at 1:30 p.m. Early bird registration before Nov. 14 is $35 for PRSA members, $50 for non-members, $15 for PRSSA student members and $20 for nonPRSSA students. Registration fees after Nov. 14 are $45 for PRSA members, $60 for non-members, $25 for PRSSA student members and $30 for non-PRSSA students. Lunch is included and free parking is available on the right side of the venue.
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Village carrying on in absence of our leader, Mayor John Wilson
Photo courtesy of Hal Fabinsky
Jo Ann Litwin Orchard Park Village Trustee It has been a difficult week in the Village of Orchard Park after the passing of our leader, Mayor John B. Wilson. John was a great man who had a lasting impact on our community. In his absence, the Village Board and village staff have remained diligent and focused, meeting several times and laying out a plan for our future. John was in the
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with an Infrastructure Advisor to analyze our needs going forward. Although the grant funding through the state to achieve all listed projects may not come to fruition, we will continue John’s work to try to complete them. More immediately, we are working on preparations for the annual Holiday in the Park event. The event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the WNY Historical Society Train Depot, Orchard Park Public Library and Department of Public Works and grounds at the intersection of West Highland Avenue and South Lincoln Avenue. Activities include: tree trimming by event sponsors, a visit from Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus, free crafts and activities performed by Orchard Park Recreation, horse and carriage rides, food includ-
ing pizza, soup, coffee, cocoa and snacks, a fresh wreath and arrangement sale, and more. We are currently seeking sponsors to help fund the event. Any donation would be greatly appreciated and can be submitted to the Village office in person or mailed to 4295 South Buffalo St., Orchard Park. John Wilson’s contributions to our community are numerous and will never be forgotten. Although his shoes will be very difficult to fill, we will continue to work tirelessly to keep our village on track. If you have anything you would like to bring to the Village Board or find a way to get involved, we are available 24/7 at VillageOffice@OrchardParkVillage.org or the Village Office can be reached at 662-9327.
The Cellular Connection to hold food drive to benefit thousands nationwide
The Cellular Connection, the largest Verizon Premium Wireless Retailer in the U.S., announces today that 300 of its stores will be donating and volunteering at local food banks through its “Stop the Hunger” initiative this holiday season in a joint effort with its customers. From today until Friday, Dec. 12, participating TCC stores across the U.S. are encouraging local families to bring in canned and boxed food, which will be delivered to the community’s food bank. The participating store in Orchard Park is located at 3245 Southwestern Blvd.
EAST AURORA
midst of many projects for the village that we are committed to continue. Duties will be divided between the existing board members: Acting Mayor Dave Rood and Trustees Fran Hogenkamp, Jo Ann Litwin and myself with the support of our fine staff. Such projects are: The Safe Walks to School Grant, which will repair several sidewalks near our village schools; the Village Comprehensive Plan, to address the constant change and evolution of our community; the Bank Street Beautification Project, which will help enhance our industrial zone and gateway to Yates Park; ADA Parking Improvement, which will create four parking spaces on Quaker and Buffalo streets to accommodate handicapped parking; a new salt storage facility at our Village Department of Public Works, and working
In addition to the food drive, each participating store will donate funds and employees will volunteer at local food banks until the end of December. “’Stop the Hunger’ is the newest initiative under TCC’s ‘Culture of Good’ movement, which empowers our employees to make a positive, charitable impact in their communities,” said Scott Moorehead, president and CEO of TCC. “It’s how our company gives back to every community where we do business. We’re honored to have the ability to help families and children in need this holiday season by
donating to and volunteering at local food banks throughout the U.S.” In 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that 17.5 million of U.S. households were food insecure. With 1 in 5 children struggling with hunger at some point in their lives, TCC is doing its part to ensure that as many children as possible do not have to battle hunger issues this holiday season. With the “Culture of Good” in its second year, TCC continues to advance its corporate social responsibility efforts. Most recently, TCC’s summer
“Culture of Good” efforts resulted in the donation of 300 college scholarships to children and 100,000 backpacks to deserving students. To learn more about TCC, visit www.ecellularconnection.com. Consumers can also find more information about the company at http:// www.facebook.com/tcctalk and www.twitter.com/tcctalk. Supporters of the program are encouraged to use hashtag #cultureofgood on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to help spread the word. Learn more about TCC’s “Culture of Good” by visiting www.cultureofgood.com.
A-5
The Orchard Park & East Aurora Sun / Saturday, November 15, 2014
Police Blotter
SPECIAL 11753 E. Main St. E. Aurora, NY
W W W. O R C H A R D P A R K S U N . C O M
Petit larceny
DWI
Around 3 p.m. Nov. 10, East Aurora Police responded to a report of a petit larceny that occurred on South Grove Street. Sometime overnight, an unknown person entered two vehicles parked at the residence and stole a DVD, $5 in change and a Garmin GPS. The stolen property was valued at $175. The vehicles were left unlocked.
At 3:57 p.m. Nov. 9, Orchard Park Police responded to a report from the Erie County Sheriff’s Office that a vehicle had struck a utility pole at the intersections of California and Webster roads. The vehicle brought down an electric wire and a tree and then fled the scene. The operator, Austin Kopp, 20, of Springville, was later stopped by police and found to be showing signs of intoxication. Kopp failed his field sobriety tests and was taken into custody for driving while intoxicated. Kopp later refused to submit to a breath test. He was charged with DWI, leaving the scene of a property damage accident and various other vehicle and traffic offenses. Police say additional charges against Kopp are pending, including a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief.
Petit larceny At 9:30 a.m. Nov. 10, East Aurora Police responded to a report of a petit larceny that occurred sometime overnight at an Oakwood Avenue residence. The victim said an unknown person entered her vehicle and stole two items of jewelry valued at $200. The vehicle was left unlocked.
Hit and run
DWI
At 4:30 p.m. Nov. 2, East Aurora Police responded to a report of a hit and run that occurred at a residence on Elliott Road. The offender, John Vimmerstedt, 53, of West Falls, swerved off the road and struck the victim’s mailbox, and then fled the scene. The victim drove after Vimmerstedt, who eventually turned into the parking lot of Bob’s NY Deli and attempted to put air in his tires. Vimmerstedt was charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident.
At 4:44 p.m. Nov. 9, Orchard Park Police responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision on Route 219 near the Route 20A exit ramp. One of the vehicles involved in the collision had fled the scene. Witnesses were able to report the offender’s license plate number to police. The offender, Dennis Spelman, 42, of Orchard Park, was then stopped by new York State Police just after pulling into his residence. Spelman failed his field sobriety tests and was taken into custody for driving while intoxicated. He was charged with DWI and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.
Petit larceny
AUO
At 4:36 p.m. Nov. 5, East Aurora Police responded to a report of a vehicle driving erratically and almost hitting two children on Riley Street. The driver was later observed failing to stop at a stop sign and traveling in the incoming lane of traffic. The operator, George Weissenburger, 53 of East Aurora, showed signs of intoxication and failed his field sobriety tests. He was taken into custody and later submitted to a breath test, which showed a reading of .07 percent blood alcohol concentration. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving with abilities impaired by alcohol, refusal to take roadside breath test, failure to keep right, improper turn and failure to stop at a stop sign. He was released to a friend.
Around 4:10 a.m. Nov. 9, Orchard Park Police pulled over a vehicle on Southwestern Boulevard after observing the vehicle drive on the shoulder and swerve in and out of its lane. The operator, Wesley Fuhrmann, 35, of Elma, was found to have his license revoked for multiple reasons. Fuhrmann was charged with failure to stay in lane and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the second degree. Bail was set at $200, which Fuhrmann posted.
Unauthorized use of a police scanner Around 4:45 p.m. Nov. 9, East Aurora Police responded to a report of a vehicle driving erratically on Seneca Street. The complainant said the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed while flashing its high beams and hazard lights. Police responded to the registered owner’s address, and arrived just as the offender was getting home. The offender, Daniel Styka, 18, of East Aurora, told police that he was listening to a police scanner application on his phone, and that he was trying to get by other vehicles in his way to a police call. Styka was charged with driving to left of pavement markings, moving from lane unsafely and unauthorized use of a police receiver.
DWI At 1:42 p.m. Nov. 9, Orchard Park Police pulled over a pickup truck on California Road after observing said vehicle fail to stay in its lane. Police also observed beverage cans falling out of the truck’s bed. Police pulled over the vehicle and found the operator, Robert Cornell, 38, of Buffalo, to be showing signs of intoxication. He failed his field sobriety tests and was taken into custody. Cornell submitted to a breath test, which showed a reading of .11 percent blood alcohol concentration. He was charged with driving while intoxicated and failure to keep right. He posted bail and was released.
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Petit larceny Around 8 p.m. Nov. 10, Orchard Park Police responded to a report of petit larceny at Kohl’s, 3430 Amelia Drive. The offender, Kim Gibson, 47, of Buffalo, had allegedly tried to steal a Nintendo gaming system and a pair of pants. The value of the items is $262. Gibson was charged with petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
Larceny Around 6:40 p.m. Nov. 6, Orchard Park Police responded to a report of larceny at Engineered Lifting Technology, 3566 S. Benzing Road. Scrap metal was taken.
Petit larceny On Nov. 5, Orchard Park Police received a report of petit larceny that occurred at a residence on Royalcrest Road. Sometime between Nov. 3 and Nov. 5, an unknown person stole a compound bow and arrows from a truck parked at the residence. The value of the stolen items is $200.
Harassment Around 5:20 p.m. Nov. 4, Orchard Park Police responded to a reported threat made by an Orchard Park man against his girlfriend. Lawrence Fumanti, 71, was charged with second degree harassment. The next day, Fumanti was arrested for violating an order of protection against his girlfriend. He was charged with second degree criminal contempt after contacting her.
Windom Elementary students, staff recognize local veterans On Monday, Nov. 10, Windom Elementary held their annual Veterans Day breakfast and assembly. Windom has been holding its annual Veterans Day assembly since 2001. Local veterans are invited to come to Windom Elementary to celebrate their service to our country. Windom Elementary invites the veterans to attend the assembly through the VFW Post, word of mouth and its monthly PTO Newsletter. The veterans first attended a breakfast at 8:45 a.m. and had an opportunity to talk with students from student council and staff at Windom Elementary. This gave students and staff a chance to personally say thank you and offer the veterans some homemade breakfast treats. The breakfast was immediately followed by Windom’s Veterans Day Assembly at 9:30 a.m. in the gymnasium. The veterans were entertained by a variety of student performances including poems, songs and videos. At the end of
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A-6
The Orchard Park & East Aurora Sun / Saturday, November 15, 2014
Orchard Park Chamber of Commerce installs officers, directors at Fall Luncheon and annual meeting
The Orchard Park Chamber of Commerce recently held its Fall Luncheon and Annual Meeting at La Galleria Banquets on Thursday, Nov. 6. Chamber president Anthony Amigone, Jr., president of Amigone Funeral Home, Inc., presented his State of the Chamber address. “The Chamber is healthy in every way... membership continues to grow, the organization is fiscally strong and our events are successful,� Amigone said. He noted that the Chamber has served the Orchard Park community and its businesses for 50 years. 2014 has been a year of celebration for the Chamber as we acknowledged this special anniversary with the Taste of Orchard Park, followed by our celebration at the Pavilion in August with the BackBeat 64’s Beatles Tribute, and culminating at our 50th Anniversary Gala at the Orchard Park
Photo courtesy of Chamber of Commerce
(From left) Frank C. Muggia, Esq., Dennis Salerno, John F. McCarthy, CPA and The Honorable Edward Pace at the Orchard Park Chamber of Commerce’s Fall Luncheon & Annual Meeting Country Club last month. “Many changes have impacted the Chamber in the past 50 years, but much has remained the same, especially our commitment to Orchard
Park,� Amigone said, after urging members to become involved in their chamber. “Working with our members, we will continue to strive to meet the needs of the Orchard
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Park business community.â&#x20AC;? The Honorable Edward Pace installed 2015 Directors. Joining the Board in 2015 are Nicholas Bond, Executive Director with Southtowns
YMCA; Barry Freilicher, Associate Member; Chris Holland, Assistant Director of Ticket Sales with the Buffalo Bills and Tristan Hujer, Esq., Associate Member. All will begin their three-year terms on January 1. Officers for 2015 were also installed, including President - Frank C. Muggia, Esq.; Vice President - Dennis Salerno, president of Salerno Motors, Inc. and Treasurer - John F. McCarthy, CPA. The officers and directors of the Chamber work diligently to promote the business interests of Orchard Park. These individuals are committed to making their community an even better place to live and work. With pride, the Chamber recognized long-standing businesses in the community and announced the names of its members celebrating 125, 50 and 25 years in business. Honored were (125 years) The Mentholatum Company;
(50 years) McGard LLC; (25 years) Thomas Booth Floor & Wallcovering, Chateau Landscape, Robert J. Ellis Financial Advisors, LLC, Orchard Park Dental Group, Pohlman Jewelers and Red Carpet Inn. Members celebrating these milestone anniversaries have demonstrated a true commitment to the community. Formally recognizing them expresses the Chamberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gratitude for their many contributions. President-Elect Frank C. Muggia, Esq. conveyed the Chamberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gratitude for Mr. Amigoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extensive commitment and presented him with a gift for his service to the Chamber. The program was highlighted by comments from keynote speaker, Dr. Patrick J. Keem, Supervisor of the Town of Orchard Park, who summarized the accomplishments of the Town in 2014 and goals for 2015.
Knox Farm State Park Holiday Art Festival to fundraise for repairs to main house By Christopher Treacy ORCHARD PARK SUN CONTRIBUTOR
What began last year as a fairly humble effort among friends has now grown into something of a much larger scale. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Knox Farm State Park Holiday Art Festival, held in the main house at Knox Farm, will be twice the size it was last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;First time art shows are always hard because thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no history behind them yet,â&#x20AC;? explained Friends of Knox Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Michele Conley Vogel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Last year, I gathered up as many of my artist friends as I could think of and we had the show on the main floor of the mansion, which was the summer home of the Knox family.â&#x20AC;? Vogel says she was both surprised and delighted by the major success it turned out to be, since theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d expected about 300 people to turn up and ended up with more than 3,000 visitors. Since the event is a fund-
raiser to subsidize ongoing repairs to the main house, which now gets rented for myriad events each year, the unexpected attendance was a huge boon. The funds generated from the Holiday Art Festival in 2013 went toward the installation of a catering kitchen - a necessity, given the ever-widening scope of events held on the property. As a lifelong artist and former gallery owner, Vogel has both sharp creative instincts and the aesthetic knowhow to present the work of others in an appealing way. Up until two years ago she was running the West End Gallery in East Aurora, which she owned for 35 years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I started out by painting for government projects that raised money for wetlands and conservation,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Two years ago I started designing for a major gift company that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d actually thought about working with for many years. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been very lucky in my career - I wanted to
do two things, own a gallery and work for this company. ... Now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done them both.â&#x20AC;? As reward for last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort and encouragement to enlarge the art festival, Vogel was granted permission to use the entire Knox house this time around, including the upstairs (a first) with servantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quarters. The 100 participating artists, each of whom was specifically chosen by Vogel, will get to keep all of the money generated by sales of their work, but the entrance fees go to the Knox property. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This year weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really focusing on quality,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are all fulltime, professional artists that make their living with their craft. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very proud of the richness the show projects - painting, jewelry, wood and felted pieces. ... Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very cool mix of Western New York artists.â&#x20AC;? From 6 to 9 p.m. Friday night the festival is open to patrons who want to come early and get first pick - a Preview Gala event with a live harp player and food catered by Dailyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a $20 cover. Saturday and Sunday, the festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is $5. The Knox Farm State Park Holiday Art Festival will be held at the main house, 437 Buffalo Road, East Aurora. READ & SUBMIT
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A-7
The Orchard Park & East Aurora Sun / Saturday, November 15, 2014
Mercy Hospital Foundation’s Autumn Ball Orchard Park Presbyterian Church raises $98,000 for Patient Care Unit Renovations hosts festival service
Music and the Arts of Orchard Park Presbyterian Church is honored to host A Festival Service of Advent Lessons and Carols presented by the Clergy and Choirs of Orchard Park Churches on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014 5 p.m. in the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, 4369 South Buffalo St. The Clergy and Choirs from Orchard Park include: Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, St. Mark’s Episco-
More than 250 guests gathered for the Mercy Hospital Foundation’s 6th Annual Autumn Ball held on Friday, Nov. 7 at the Orchard Park Country Club. The event raised $98,000 for patient care unit renovations at Mercy Hospital. Chairing this premier fundraising event for the hospital were Mr. and Mrs. Arthur and Audrey Russ. They were joined by Celebrity Event Emcees Lou Raguse and Emily Guggenmos of WIVB-TV News 4 and CW Channel 23. A pair of award presentations was new to the event this year. Dr. Stephen W. Downing, a Mercy Hospital cardiothoracic surgeon, was recognized with the Physician of Distinction Award, and Kathleen Guarino, RN, MS, NP, vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at Mercy Hospital, received the Nurse of Distinction Award. Entertainment was provided by the Katy Miner Jazz Quartet. Photo courtesy of Hal Fabinsky Proceeds from the 2014 Autumn Ball will fund Town Councilman critical projects at Mercy Mike Sherry Hospital of Buffalo,
pal Church, Nativity of Our Lord RC Church, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Wesleyan Church of Orchard Park, and Orchard Park United Methodist Church. Please join us for this community service - a wonderful way to begin the holiday season! Please feel free to share this program information widely. Attached is an event flyer. We hope you will join us for this community event.
Mike Sherry tapped as keynote speaker On Nov. 19, Orchard Park Town Councilman Mike Sherry will be delivering the opening plenary address at the 2014 Financial Officers’ and Technology Professionals’ Conference for the Association of Theological Schools of North America. The conference is being held in St. Antonio, Texas. The title of Councilman Sherry’s address is: Creating and Managing an Effective Strategic Plan. He is currently the Executive Director of Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora.
Photo courtesy of Mercy Hospital
Enjoying the evening at Mercy Hospital’s 6th Annual Autumn Ball were, from left, Mercy Hospital President and CEO C.J. Urlaub and his wife Susan Urlaub with Autumn Ball Chairs Audrey and Art Russ. including renovations to Mercy Hospital’s Stroke Center nursing station and patient rooms. In 2013, Mercy Hospital was the first hospital in Western New York to be named a Comprehensive Stroke Center by the Joint Commission, the nation’s leading accrediting body for hospitals and healthcare providers.
Offered in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, this advanced certification recognizes an elite group of hospitals that have highly specialized staff, equipment and facilities to treat the most complex stroke cases. Major sponsors included Aramark Corporation, Mr.
& Mrs. Arthur & Audrey Russ, Shaflucas Architects, P.C., and Hodgson Russ LLP. For more information about the Foundation, please contact Kathy Swenson, Executive Director of the Mercy Hospital Foundation, at (716) 828-2038 or email kswenson@chsbuffalo. org.
Absolut Care of Aurora Park’s 5th Annual
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292 Main Street • East Aurora, NY 14052 Holiday Wishes from Emcee Susan Banks (Absolut Care Spokesperson)
Horse Drawn Carriage Rides • Carousel Rides Photos with Santa by Terry’s Photo Studio • Petting Zoo Caroling • Holiday Crafts for Children • Face Painting Delectables and Warm Beverages For Information, Contact:
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A-8
The Orchard Park & East Aurora Sun / Saturday, November 15, 2014
Dog Ears Bookstore to host book signing event
Dog Ears Bookstore, located at 688 Abbott Rd. in Buffalo, will host author Jim Ostrowski for a book-signing event at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15. Ostrowski is a trial and appellate lawyer from Buffalo. His book, “Progressivism: A Primer on the Idea Destroying America,” was released in September. Drawing on 45 years in politics, law and the Liberty Movement, Ostrowski deconstructs and demolishes the idea that has dominated American life for longer than
any of us has been alive. He lays the hidden premises of progressivism bare for all to see and then shows how they have led to the destructive policies that are dragging America down. The book not only diagnoses what is wrong with America but proposes numerous and detailed strategies and tactics for what individual Americans can do right now to battle progressivism. Ostrowski graduated from St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in 1975, obtained a degree in philosophy from the State University of New
York at Buffalo in 1980 and graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1983. He has written a number of scholarly articles on the law on subjects ranging from drug policy to the commerce clause of the constitution. For more information about the nonprofit community bookstore, visit www.dogearsbookstore.org or call 823-2665. You can also follow Dog Ears Bookstore on Facebook at www. facebook.com/DogEarsBookstore for frequent updates.
Buffalo resident receives first annual Bounce Back Award
The Chris Klug Foundation (CKF) is pleased to announce the winners of the first annual Bounce Back Award, presented by Astellas. The award recognizes two transplant recipients who exhibit a great quality of life. Nominations for the award were open Sept. 16 to Oct. 16. Over 75 nominations came in from 27 states across the country, and CKF staff and board members selected two winners. Winner Barbara Breckenridge, of Buffalo, is a 15-year kidney transplant recipient. Since being given a second chance at life, Breckenridge
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has dedicated her life to advocating for organ and tissue donation. According to Sarah Diina, director of marketing and communications at the Upstate New York Transplant Center, “Barbara provides peer counseling for dialysis patients, transplant patients and their families, and newly diagnosed kidney disease individuals. Barbara facilitates a kidney support group at Erie County Medical Center, and had done many radio and television appearances promoting the Donate Life cause.” Breckenridge has also won over 31 medals at the Transplant Games, and has traveled to Australia, Sweden and South Africa to compete. Breckenridge’s tireless advocacy embodies the spirit of the Bounce Back Award. Winner David Miller, of Semmes, Ala., received a liver from the family of a 13-yearold boy who lost his life after a tragic fall. Their selfless decision to donate their son’s organs gave Miller a second chance at life. Since his transplant, Miller has not let any obstacle slow him down. He educates high school students to teach their peers about organ and tissue donation and to register them as donors. Through his efforts, his group registered 863 organ donors. Miller has also won at the World Transplant Games and participates in 5K runs. Miller leads by example and is truly deserving of the Bounce Back Award. The winners and one guest each will travel to Aspen, Colo. for the Chris Klug Foundation’s ninth annual Aspen Summit for Life weekend Dec. 5-6. CKF will
host the winners and provide flights, lodging and tickets to all Summit for Life weekend events. The Bounce Back Award will be presented on Dec. 6 on top of Aspen Mountain in front of 400 racers and CKF supporters. “We are thrilled by the response to the first annual Bounce Back Award, presented by Astellas,” said Beth Slater, executive director, CKF. “We read so many amazing stories of what is possible after a lifesaving transplant. Picking just two winners was an incredibly difficult task, but we’re so proud of Barbara and David and the way they live their lives.” Chris Klug, founder and chairman of CKF, looks forward to welcoming the Bounce Back Award winners to Aspen. “I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Barbara and David to my hometown of Aspen to celebrate life together and recognize their volunteerism to help others in the transplant community today. All over the country our Donor Dudes volunteers support our work and help us get the word out about donation. Both Barbara and David are officially Donor Dudes. We can’t wait to recognize both winners here in Aspen at the ninth annual Aspen Summit for Life.” Becoming a registered organ and tissue donor is a way to have a lasting legacy, and it’s as simple as going to www.chrisklugfoundation. org to sign up. For more information on this program or on the Chris Klug Foundation, contact Beth Slater at 970-618-7120.
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