Tropical Smoothie Café opens in Cicero

By ANdREW WEllivER

A casual location to get a refreshing beverage is now open for the summer in Cicero.

Tropical Smoothie Café celebrated its grand opening with specials and promotions to welcome guests to the new establishment.

The promotion included invitations to veterans and first responders to come and sample items on May 15 and 16 to give back to the community.

The first 50 guests in line at the grand opening on May 18 won free smoothies for a year.

Then on May 19, dine-in guests could purchase $1.99 discounted smoothies, $3.99 flatbreads on May 20, and $5 flatbread combos on May 21.

“We have a great brand, product, and cause to give back to the community,” said Roger Wagner, owner and franchisee of the Tropical Smoothie Café.

Wagner said the promotions provide opportunities for guests as well as employees to learn about the café’s menu while also giving back.

“We aim to give away the food we use to train the employees,” he said. Wagner, who has other locations across Central New York, said he had several reasons to want to open in Cicero.

“We are very excited to bring the Tropical Smoothie Café brand to Cicero,” said Wagner. “This brand brings better-for-you eating options to Cicero in a fast-casual, graband-go environment which is an element that the community has little exposure to. The Tropical Smoothie Café brand compliments our portfolio and offers products that keep guests coming back. Being a native to the area, I felt it was important to give back to our loyal fans and celebrate this momentous location.”

Before joining Tropical Smoothie Café, Wagner worked with fast-casual and quick service brands all over the country before settling with his family in Central New York State.

W2B Management began their Tropical Smoothie Café journey two years ago, and

Tropical smoothie café opened its newest this is their fifth cafe in the state of New York.

New york location in cicero.

The group has plans to open five additional locations in the following years.

Wagner was recently honored at the Tropical Smoothie Cafe convention with the Emerging Leader award for his hands-on operational style and commitment to the brand.

The grand opening also included a donation to a charitable partner of Tropical Smoothie Café.

The first $1,000 that the store makes will be donated to “No Kid Hungry.”

“Making sure that kids don’t go hungry is impor- tant,” Wagner said.

With Cicero marking his fifth location, Wagner knows how popular this brand is in the area, and he notices how customers react to their products.

“Every time someone has one of our smoothies they say, ‘Wow, I’ve never had a smoothie like this before,’” Wagner said.

The grand opening was well attended. Among those checking out the new location was Jaiden Asch. “The free smoothies were a major incentive for coming to the grand opening,” he said.

By Russ TARBy

Contributing Writer

Liverpool’s annual Memorial Day Parade – a tradition dating back to World War I – will take place Monday morning, May 29.

Presented for the second year in a row by the Greater Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, the parade begins after a 9 a.m. ceremony at Johnson Park hosted by American Legion Post 188.

The remembrance ceremony dedicated to those military men and women who gave their lives defending American freedom will include a reading by Post 188 Auxiliary President Sue Collins. Liverpool High School senior Cassandra Nalli will be the featured vocalist.

Led as usual by a Liverpool Police cruiser, the parade will commence on Second Street shortly before 10 a.m. Marchers will head east toward Memorial Park, which features a World War II-era cannon, where the parade will pause for a brief prayer.

Then the parade will roll west on Oswego Street and north on Tulip Street as it makes its way toward Liverpool Cemetery, at the corner of Fifth and Tulip streets.

Chamber of commerce Director Lucretia Hudzinski expects about 20 different units to participate in Monday’s parade which will feature patriotic tunes performed by the Liverpool High School Marching Band. Other participants

By Russ TARBy

At its May 15 meeting the Liverpool Village Board of Trustees approved a series of expenditures to pay for needed roof repairs, interior painting and business-district beautification. The trustees – Matt Devendorf, Christina Fadden, Dennis Hebert, Michael LaMontagne and Mayor Gary White – voted unanimously to approve three projects.

The village will hire Shaffer Building Services of Syracuse to repair the crumbing roof and gutters on the historic Gleason Mansion at 314 Second St. The trustees stipulated that the work must be completed at a cost not to exceed $7,500. Various walls inside the village hall and police department, 310 Sycamore St., need repainting. LCS Painting of Liverpool was low bidder at $2,875. Liverpool Community Gardeners requested $1,000 to provide four half-barrels of flowers for Johnson Park and six half-barrels for

Funds needs are the other strands of the organization. The club has brought together more than 40 individuals living with disabilities, each with a mentor, all with the mission of helping participants build relationships and connections through various activities.

On May 15, the organization celebrated a special new event, bringing participants to the prom. The prom was organized by Corso, who has worked with the organization for 10 years and she was excited by the prospect of doing this event even as the idea took shape and changed along the way.

“It started out as an ice cream social, but we decided to do a prom,” Corso said.

Special events aren’t out of the ordinary, as the club members meet every Monday to discuss their plans for the week.

The events are all thought of and voted on by the individuals and their mentors.

The role of the mentor is important for the development of everyone involved in the program.

Troy Griffith, 24, knows how important the mentors are to him, and others in the program. He took the opportunities they have given him to come out of his shell and give back to the community in various ways.

Hope.Network has experienced sustained growth since its founding 20 years ago by Lory Matthews.

Corso has since taken the lead and has created a program with staying power alongside other leaders like Lori Sill.

The leadership of Corso, Sill and others has organized many events to have the individuals volunteer, and take classes where they can learn from organizations throughout the city.

They have helped organize events such as collecting cans and taking them to recycling centers, and learning firearms safety from educators at Syracuse University.

The prom, and other programs are run from the Northside Church in Liverpool.

At the prom parents and their children spoke about what this organization means to them.

Mary Cavallaro, a mother of one of the individuals involved in the program, knows how important this is to her daughter and others.

“Everything they do inspires my child,” she said.

The impact that the program has on the participants means a great deal to the parents as they see the positive impact Hope.Network has.

“Why was I ever concerned about my child?” Cavallaro said. “They prove themselves to you without even asking.”

To learn more about Hope.Network visit 211cny.com/helpmegrow

Obituaries

constance Morris, 89

Worked at auburn Memorial Hospital

Constance “Connie” constance Morris

Morris, 89, who had a resounding positive outlook and sense of humor, passed away in her home peacefully on Thursday, May 4, 2023. Connie was born the daughter of the late William and Marie DeLine on Jan. 19, 1934, in Preble, N.Y.

Connie met and married her high school (Homer Central High) sweetheart, the late Donald Morris.

Connie and Don moved from Homer to Skaneateles in 1972 where they raised their three children Michelle, Greg and Stacey. Connie remained in her home in Manor Heights for over 50 years.

Connie worked at Auburn Memorial Hospital for over 25 years as the unit secretary on 3-West (Med/Surgery floor.) Connie thoroughly enjoyed her job at the hospital as it matched her strong work ethic.

Despite the many personal losses Connie endured, she always found the positive in everyone and every situation.

Those who knew Connie well would recognize Connie’s remarkable sense of humor.

Connie will be remembered by her brother, Robert DeLine of New Brunsfel, TX, her son, Greg Morris of Littleton/Boulder, CO, her son-in-law Dr. John Eppolito and her five grandchildren: Jonathan Morris-Eppolito, Benjamin Morris Eppolito, Samuel Donald Morris, Emma Rose Morris and Tess Elizabeth Morris.

No services will be held at this time.

To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

James A. Ridgeway, 60 Loved Syracuse Orange, Grateful Dead

James Albert “Jimmy” Ridgeway, age 60, formerly of Skaneateles, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 29, 2023, with family by his side.

Jimmy was born on June 11, 1962, in Syracuse, to John and Helen Ridgeway. He was a graduate of Skaneateles High School and studied at the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. Those left to cherish Jimmy’s memory include his mother, Helen Ridgeway, sisters, Michele (Phil) Ridgeway, Renee Ridgeway, and brothers, John (Donna) Ridgeway, Michael (Susan) Ridgeway, Mark (Lisa) Ridgeway and Robert (Lori) Ridgeway, numerous nieces, nephews, family and friends. He is preceded in death by his father, John Albert “Jack” Ridgeway. Jimmy will be remembered for a caring heart, uncanny trivia knowledge, and love for the Syracuse Orange and the Grateful Dead.

The family would like to express our thanks for the wonderful help and care given at Bethany Hospice, Presbyterian Hospital, and UPMC Heritage Place.

A funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. on June 26, 2023, at St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church in Skaneateles, with a reception to follow. In the evening, there will also be a gathering at Strods Barn (2863 Benson Road) from 6-11 p.m. for “JamboFest” as a celebration of life for our dear Jimmy. All are welcome. If desired, family and friends can make a memorial contribution to Light of Life Rescue Mission (give.lightoflife.org), where Jimmy found hope and healing.

Going home, going home

By the waterside I will rest my bones

Listen to the river sing sweet songs

To rock my soul

OuR VOicE