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VOLUME 1 ISSUE 5
AUGUST 26 - SEPTEMBER 1, 2016
The Official Newspaper
of the Village of Springville, NY Springville-Griffith Institute Central Schools
By Colleen Mahoney
Gavin Davison, MD, will be joining Bertrand Chaffee Hospital as chairman of the hospital’s Department of Surgery and chief of surgery. The announcement was made in a press release Tuesday morning, which said Dr. Davison is a “key addition” to the hospital’s medical staff. Davison is a general surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive laparoscopic
procedures. By performing surgeries laparoscopically, patients can experience a shorter recovery time. Some of the procedures that will be performed by Davison include appendectomies, colonoscopies, upper endoscopies, tracheostomies and wound debridement, among others. Development and Community Relations Coordinator Kara Kane said BCH is in the process of securing staff and equipment to aid Davison. Kane expects he will be responsible for the more specialized procedures, some that can be performed laparoscopically and some that cannot. “When SGI Surgical Associates closed in August, BCH had a responsibility to fill the gap that was left for patients who are seeking surgical care,” said Nils Gunnersen, CEO, in a press release. “We are thrilled that we were able to recruit
Dr. Davison to our facility and we’re excited about the possibilities this presents for surgical services in our service area.” Davison earned a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University and a medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine, in 2009. He completed his general surgery residency through the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, in 2014. “This gives the hospital a dedicated physician who is here full time to see patients here and do procedures here,” Kane said. “Dr. Davison will be a real resource for our facility.” Dr. Davison will be seeing patients in his second floor office at BCH by early October. It’s anticipated he will begin performing surgeries by the end of October. For more information, call (716) 7943295.
Springville Police Celebrate 15-Year Anniversary
By Colleen Mahoney
The Springville Police Department will be celebrating its 15-year anniversary in September. The Department, which consists of 10 part-time officers and a police chief, was re-established in September 2001. Springville Mayor William Krebs said having a parttime police department gives the village more control over when officers are on patrol. The department is responsible for patrolling festivals and events in town, such as Dairy Fest and Pageant of the Bands, but Krebs said officers are also scheduled on Wednesdays during auction time and Friday nights during football season. “That’s the advantage to having a part-time police department in the village … scheduling police officers as
needed,” Krebs said. Police Chief John Fox has been with the department since its inception, and though he’s retiring in September, he said the importance of a communityminded police department cannot be overlooked. A former sergeant with the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, Fox said his officers can often be found walking in local businesses,
both patrolling and engaging with village residents. During the early years of the department, then-mayor Gary Eppolito called Fox to let him know one of his officers was getting a haircut while on duty. Fox spoke with the officer, who said he wasn’t getting a haircut, he had walked into the barbershop to See Springville PD page
SGI Football
Team, Effort, Tradition By T. J. Oakley
On a picturesque Friday morning, my wife and I walked across a dew drenched, foggy field to see first-hand the beginnings of something great. As we continued forth, a clamor echoed from within the mist. The beautiful sounds of late summer roused an excitement that was familiar, yet as euphoric as ever. The fog began to See SGI Football page 5
SGI Welcomes Alum Bialasik as HS Principal
Upcoming Events Springville Area
By Ashlee O akley
Our community welcomes a new principal to SGI high school, James Bialasik. While he was born in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., Bialasik spent his middle and high school years in the Springville Griffith school district. When his father retired from the Secret Service and decided to head back to his roots in Buffalo, Bialasik was moved to Springville’s Middle School… a little bit of culture shock as a 10-year-old boy, and he says his formative years may have not gone so well if it weren’t for the teachers who cheered him on and urged him to succeed. Bialasik was an athletic student, playing football and running track through middle and high school, then playing football for Canisius College. He credits his sports experiences for instilling the principles he has had for his life and his career. From Canisius, he also earned a dual major in math and math education. While working as a high school math teacher for the Sweet Home Central school district starting in 2003, he also earned a Masters degree in Math Education at the University of Buffalo. From the beginning, it seemed he tended to take on leadership roles naturally. He was a teacher on special assignment as the Sweet Home High School assistant principal for a year; the next year, he had the opportunity to do the same at the middle school, and so, was the Dean of Students at Sweet Home Middle School. He went on to be the math coordinator, and then the coordinator for secondary education, managing the
Sept. 10 Fall Artisan Fest and Food Festival Granny’s Boot Antiques Sept. 11 8 in the Rough Trail Run Sprague Brook instructional programs within the entire district. He notes, “Obviously, much of my experience up until [the Coordinator for Secondary Education job] had been mathematics, and it really helped me to see more of a global perspective, to understand not only the core area subjects, but to really understand the off-core areas as well, such as arts, technology, physical education… I had a lot of opportunity to do a lot of work in those different areas. And that’s one thing I’m proud of in my work at Sweet Home, in bringing an emphasis back to some of those elective areas that are so important to the students.” When asked what he thinks he is bringing to the table for the benefit of the SGI community, he talked about the many changes over the years regarding state assessments. Bialasik says, “The social studies is really undergoing quite a bit of change, the Common Core is really out at the high school level now in both ELA and mathematics. On the science side, as well, basically, the state is really looking at changing our
© 2016 Ellicottville Times / Keystone Designers Inc.
BCH Names New Chief of Surgery
Sept. 14 Night Lights, Griffis Sculpture Park Sept. 16 Gowanda Harley Bike Night, Kissing Bridge Sept. 21 Community Naloxone Training Sept. 24 Oktoberfest, Firemen’s Park Sept. 24 Autumn Challenge, Sprague Brook Sept. 25 Women’s Fashion Show, presented by Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Oct. 1 SES Color Run
See HS Principal page 4
Jeep Days at KB Aug. 27-28 By Alicia Dziak
Jeep owners love their Jeeps, and if you’re one of them, why not join other likeminded peeps this weekend for the 2016 Emerling Jeep KBMoto Trail Ride? On Saturday, Aug. 27 and Sunday, Aug. 28, Kissing Bridge hosts this adventure-filled event. “Emerling Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram strives to connect current and future customers with like-minded Jeep owners who enjoy testing the ‘Trail Rated’ capabilities of their recent or past purchases,” explained Samantha Zimmer, service and warranty administrator for Emerling Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. “Jeep days will consist of door raffles, a trail ride in the
morning and afternoon, with lunch provided. The trail rides will take Jeep enthusiasts on varying terrain, ranging from dirt roads to muddy trails.” Zimmer assures that trail riders who tackle difficult trails and wind up stuck will not be left behind. Other Jeep owners and KB staff ensure that everyone returns safely.
“In addition, the staff at Kissing Bridge guides all the Jeeps through the bulk of Kissing Bridge’s picturesque landscape,” Zimmer added. “When we break for lunch, it gives our Jeep riders a chance to meet with other riders from around western New York, See Jeep Days page 4 SINCE 1935
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