Garage Sales

If you like having choices, you’ll love Hart’s Insurance Agency: A truly independent insurance agency since 1877. For Home, Auto, Business or Farm coverages call 237-2126 or 1-800-722-1877. The Standard of Excellence Since 1877.

SHARED HABITS OF ORGANIZED PEOPLE

The beginning of the year is an ideal time to get organized and set oneself up for productive months ahead. It’s also a good opportunity to take inventory of seldom-used items and clear out as much clutter as possible. The amount of stuff the average person owns can affect how easy or diffi cult it is for that person to get organized. In 2014, professional organizer Regina Lark estimated the average American home contains 300,000 items. And it’s not just adults who love to collect and keep things, as kids contribute to the problem, too. British research, as published in The Telegraph, indicates the average 10-year-old owns 238 toys, playing with just 12 in a typical day. All of these belongings contribute to disorganization and lost time. A study by Esure Home Insurance found looking for lost items accounts for 10 minutes of wasted time each day. Getting organized can take perseverance, but it’s possible. e VITA program will be providing a volunteer income tax service to eligible Livingston County residents on Monday and Wednesday evenings and select Saturdays in February and March 2023. Qualif ying taxpayers include seniors, persons with disabilities, and persons with annual household incomes below $58,000. e service will be provided at Suny Geneseo in the Trading Room in South Hall (Directions will be provided) Please call the Livingston County O ce for the Aging at 585-243-7520 to con rm your eligibility and to schedule an appointment. Our thanks to the trained, dedicated student volunteers and sta from SUNY Geneseo that have made this valuable service possible. Masks are optional. ere is NO CHARGE for this service.

“ e greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” ~Coretta Scott King

We would like to thank the following businesses and organizations for their donations to Livonia’s Toys for Tots. is year we were able to purchase toys for 108 local kids. e success of this program depends on the generosity of the donors and we greatly appreciate every contribution.

Aman Roo ng Conesus American Legion Post No. 1779 Duke Law Firm Harrison-Lee American Legion Livonia Middle/High School Clubs Livonia Rotary St. Timothy Lutheran Church

Silver Level ($50 - $99) Gold Level ($100-$199) Platinum Level ($200 or more) Chanler Agency, Inc. Fugle’s Auto Parts Livingston Automotive West’s Shur ne ALandscape and Design Bernhardt’s Remodeling Center Commercial Automotive Community Bank Dougherty Funeral Home Electronic Specialist Emergency Vehicle Sales Grzenda Farm Hemlock Fire Department Lisa Marie’s Hair and Tanning Salon Livonia, Avon and Lakeville Railroad Corp Margaret Graf Linsner, Esq. PT Professionals of Lakeville Star Pest Control

Fair Housing Statement

All real estate advertised in the Genesee Valley Penny Saver is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Fair Housing Enforcement Project Monroe County Legal Assistance Center 1 W. Main Street Rochester, NY 14614 (585) 325-2500 • www.lawny.org

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

P U R P L E P ON Y B L A Z E S A T R AI L FOR S P E C I AL N E E D S I N L E R OY

B Y L O R I B R U T O N

Bubba, CJ, Paint and Max giving the volunteers a tour on the Sensory Trail.

“ ere is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” ~ Winston Churchill

Ahorse is a magni cent animal. Purple Pony is a magni cent therapeutic horsemanship program for those with special needs. It has been going strong for 18 years. Horseback riding at Purple Pony is exclusively for individuals with special needs. ey do not o er able-bodied riding. People as young as 4 years old up to adulthood can take part in riding. No one ever ages out. I had the pleasure of speaking with the Board Chairman, Dan Kilker. I asked what inspired him to get involved with Purple Pony. He said, “I cared for my brother, who was blind. A er my brother passed away, I wanted to stay in the special needs community. It’s been a great ride.” For children with sensory challenges, horseback riding can provide nearly every type of sensory input simultaneously. ese riders become one with the horse. ey experience the rhythmical clippity-clop of hooves, a horse’s whinny, uid movement, and the feel of the mane and saddle beneath them. It’s a lot of work and also a lot of fun. Purple Pony is enhancing the lives of not only the riders but their families. e volunteers are ful lled seeing the di erence this organization is making. Everyone bene ts. All the instructors are certi ed through the Professional Association of erapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH International). Purple Pony is the only program that is PATH certi ed and 100% volunteer. Currently, there are 70 active volunteers. ey are adding two more instructors. ere is something about a horse that brings out happiness and makes you smile. A 60-year-old from a group home got to ride a horse for the rst time. A child with special needs who had not yet said a word, spoke his rst word while riding on a horse at Purple Pony. Parents smile while watching their children enjoy the ride. High school students come out for educational meetings to learn about horses, horse anatomy, and how the program works. ey also take horses to schools for educational purposes and for visits at facilities such as LeRoy Village Green. eir presence in the community includes BOCES and special needs groups. ey have a oat in the parade and throw out candy. e Sensory Trail is unique at Purple Pony. ey cleared an old railroad bed. It took three years to clear the area with the help of volunteer groups. Two Eagle Scout projects were done. e mounting ramp is a big hit with the riders. ey love being outdoors. Stations are set up for di erent senses like smell, sound, and touch. ey even hosted a group from South Korea that wanted to start a program like Purple Pony over there. ere is an exciting event coming up in June 2023 that baseball fans won’t want to miss: the rst pitch will be thrown out from horseback by a special needs rider at the Batavia Muck Dogs baseball game. How can you help? Purple Pony is always looking for volunteers. is spring, they need to do work on the Sensory Trail. ey received a grant and need volunteers to come out in March and April to get it ready for the season. Donations are always appreciated as well. Mount up and see how you can get involved. Maybe you know someone who can bene t from this program. ere is great information on their website. Be sure to watch the videos of Pony Tails, where they read stories to the ponies. Check out their website: https://www.purplepony.org/ Purple Pony is located at 8321 Lake Street Road, LeRoy, NY 14482.

Lita, Betti, and Paint!

Love to write? You could earn CASH when you share your original story, personal experience, community happening or school event with us! It may be featured on our popular website for all to see and even selected for print! Go to My Hometown at www.gvpennysaver.com or email hometown@gvpennysaver.com!

TIPS FOR TAKING STUNNING NATURE PHOTOS

Take the foreground into consideration. When you fi nd an inspiring landscape to photograph, skip the empty landscapes and think about zeroing in on something interesting in the foreground. This can be a particularly attractive fl ower in front of a vast fi eld, or even a rusty watering can left out in a row of crops. Items in the foreground impart interest in the photo.

HOW TO ROAD TRIP IN AN ELECTRIC CAR

Look for EV-friendly lodging. Many hotels now feature charging stations exclusively for guests with EVs. Some hotels include the cost of utilizing such stations in their parking fees, while others may charge an additional amount. Either way, the convenience of fi nding a hotel with its own charging station outweighs any extra costs, as cars can be charged overnight while guests are asleep, leaving more time to travel in a vehicle that’s fully charged each morning.

Check us out on Facebook

Hours: Tues-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-6, Sun 10-2 5953 Big Tree Rd. • Suite 7 • Lakeville, NY • 346-7300 ARBORWEAR AND CARHARTT PRODUCTS

APPAREL- tees, sweatshirts, hats, gloves, swimwear, life jackets, fl oats, sundresses, fl ip fl ops, sunglasses, sunscreen Water toys • Water shoes • Souvenirs • And much more!

ICE SHELTER • ICE GRIPS • AUGER TIP UPS AND MORE

Polar Extreme Socks • Embroidered Sweatshirts • Gloves Thermal Leggings • Thermal Tops & Bottoms • Coolers • Hats