Greece News July/August 2023

Horses Healing Heroes

by Tami Raco photos by Karen Fien

Daniel Jobin, of Brockport, spent his early childhood growing up around horses in the North Country until his family moved to the Rochester area when he was a teenager so he could pursue a career in hockey. He never gave up his love for horses, but after many hockey-related injuries, he had to give up the sport.

Daniel became a firefighter at the Bushnell’s Basin Fire Department. During his 17 years as a first responder, he fell in love with helping others in their time of crisis. In the back of his mind, he dreamt of having an opportunity where he could combine his passion for helping others with his love for horses.

In September 2019, Daniel was in a near-fatal motorcycle accident. He was riding his motorcycle in a 9/11 ride with the Laddermen MC when the driver of the car did not see him and ran him off the road. His survival from this accident was uncertain and his family was told that even if he did survive, the prognosis of ever walking or having full capacity of his brain function was bleak.

Daniel not only survived, but after more than 20 surgeries and rehabilitation, he is able to walk and ride horses again. Throughout the recovery process, his dream of opening an equestrian therapy program began to ruminate in his thoughts, reigniting his desire to finally launch this dream into a reality. He used the tragedy that nearly killed him and took him from his career as a first responder, and turned it into something positive where he could help others.

He began to envision and prepare for what he would like to do

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Before The Last Call Founder and Director Daniel Jobin has always had a love of horses.

continued from page 4 with his second chance at life. “My goal while I was recovering was to bring this dream of helping horses heal heroes to life,” Daniel said. Over a series of events and meeting the right people at the right time, his dream to have an equine therapy facility in western Monroe County has come to fruition.

In May, Daniel graduated from the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) as a certified Equine Master Specialist and in Mental Health Equine Therapy. He officially opened Before The Last Call Equine Therapeutic Program on June 10. It is an equine therapy program that specializes in helping those who spend their lives helping others.

Before The Last Call is located at Lone Oak Stables in Kendall, which provides a tranquil setting to help those suffering from trauma and PTSD. The connection occurred with Lone Oak Stables when Daniel took his stepson to ride there.

“Ellen and Dave Robinson, the owners, are amazing people,” he said. They saw Daniel’s gift with horses and invited him to work with a horse that was left at the stables and needed some “rescuing.” While working with this horse, Daniel had the opportunity to share with the Robinsons his dream of bringing an equine therapeutic program to the area. Ellen, a retired nurse, and Dave, a Navy veteran, graciously opened their stables to house this unique program. Lone Oak is a 55-acre property with beautiful pastures and peaceful trails through the woods. Before The Last Call has eleven horses at Lone Oak that are being used in equine therapy.

Daniel has a team of experienced volunteers who have helped him get this program open and running.

Donna Gouger, of Hamlin, has 32 years of experience as an EMT in the area. She met Daniel Jobin on one of his medical emergency ambulance calls. “In the middle of his medical crisis, he starts pitching his program to me,” laughed Donna. She grew up riding horses and is also a volunteer at the Hamlin VFW. “Before The Last Call took all of my passions and threw them into one big bucket,” she said. Donna helps coordinate volunteers, and organizes the fundraising and event planning. “Critical incidents don’t go away. You can’t outrun ghosts,” Donna said. “They follow you, and we are here to help heroes find a healthy way to deal with their trauma.”

Rachel and Mike Sullivan are also on the team. Mike has a career as a first responder and is in the process of also being certified at PATH. He will be helping with the instruction. Rachel helps with the administration and social media.

Cody Coopenberg, of Hamlin, is also part of the Before The Last Call team. Cody is an Army Veteran who was severely injured on a deployment in Afghanistan in 2012 that nearly took his life. He has served as a firefighter in the Holley and Hamlin/Morton Fire Districts. Reflecting on the trauma associated with his devastating injury while being deployed and the help he needed, Cody said, “Things as simple as a baseball bat falling or fireworks can really be trauma triggers to veterans.”

“The tranquil setting at Lone Oak Stables provides a safe place

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Members of the Before The Last Call team (l-r) Nina Doyle, Donna Gouger, Daniel Jobin, Rachel Sullivan, and Cody Coppenberg

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to turn the world off, find peace in the bonding with horses, and develop a deeper sense of purpose,” Daniel added.

The team is very cognizant, both professionally and personally, of the epidemic that veterans, police officers and first responders face. Nearly 100,000 veterans and first responders suffer from PTSD, leading to a significant number of them ending their own lives. The invisible wounds of their jobs have left emotional scars most will never understand. Before the Last Call’s mission is to help these men and women with their ongoing fight and try to heal them through the healing power of horses.

Before The Last Call had it’s grand opening June 10. Retired Senator Joe Robach attended on behalf of Senator Ortt and The Veterans Outreach Center. At the event, he spoke of the importance of supporting our local first responders and veterans with programs like Before The Last Call.

The organization is in the process of acquiring its nonprofit status and has already begun providing equine therapy to local heroes. “There is no payment to participate,” said Daniel. This program is offered free to the veteran or first responder and is entirely supported by fundraising activities.

Several fundraisers are planned in the coming months. The Hamlin VFW will be holding a Cornhole Tournament and Food Truck Rodeo fundraiser on Saturday, August 20. There will also be a car and motorcycle show at the Hamlin’s Fireman’s Field on September 23. All proceeds from these events will go to helping local heroes seeking healing from horses.

For more information on fundraising events or to learn more about horses healing heroes, visit the Before The Last Call Facebook page.

Greece News

The serene pastures at Lone Oak Stables provide a tranquil setting to help those suffering from trauma or PTSD.

Tree Planting Ceremony in Honor of William Joyce

Every year in observance of Arbor Day, the Town of Greece plants a tree to both honor a member of the community and to promote the importance of trees for our envi ronment. The Town of Greece has been named a Tree City USA every year since 1998 by contin ued commitment from the Greece Town Board, and the dedicated members of our Tree Coun cil.

This year, the Town of Greece recognized Arbor Day on June 22, 2023, with the Annual Town of Greece Arbor Day Memorial Tree Plant ing Ceremony.

This year’s tree was planted in memory of William Joyce.

The tree planted in honor of Arbor Day this year was the Autumn Maple Flame. This tree has beautiful fall colors of crimson and scarlet, turning red early in the season and holding well throughout the fall. The tree is located along the Greece Town Campus Walking track on the North end of campus with a monument placed at the base of the tree.

“Today, we were proud to honor and remem ber William Joyce,” said Supervisor Reilich, “Wil liam passed away peacefully at home last year. Among his many roles in the community, Wil liam was a volunteer with the Greece Volunteer Ambulance for over 40 years and was a com missioner of the Lake Shore Fire Department.

He is greatly missed by his family, friends, and community.”

Pictured at the planting ceremony are members of William Joyce’s family and friends, with Town of Greece officials.

A Community Child Car Seat Safety Educational event was held on June 22, 2023. Held in partnership with Monroe County STOP DWI & Traffic Safety and Mark’s Pizzeria on Mt. Read Blvd., over 15 vehicles and more than 20 car seats were checked, many requiring safety corrections. The caregivers were educated on safety procedures. Mark’s Pizza gave 20 free pizza certificates to participants in the program. Pictured (L-R) RRFD Firefighter, Travis Reeves; RRFD Firefighter, Dan Tucker; Mark’s Pizzeria Business Account Manager, Jason Steenwerth; Monroe County Traffic Specialist, Jean Triest; RRFD Lieutenant, Kelly Yale; Battalion Chief, Brian Gebo and RRFD Lieutenant, Dan Scacchetti. continued on page 12

Responding to Community Needs

by Barbara Burke

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Firefighters take an oath to protect lives and property, and that involves much more than what many see as the role of firefighters, responding to calls for help.

Battalion Chief Brian Gebo is the Community Outreach and Public Education Officer for the Ridge Road Fire District (RRFD). Chief Gebo coordinates the many Public Safety Educations programs offered through the RRFD. In developing the programs, Gebo said the data on community needs is what pushes the education programs selected. “We look for the trends to find our education focus. The number one threat to kids is car accidents and number one with seniors is falls. With education comes prevention, our goal is to avert the calls for help by educating the community on how to keep safe.”

According to the RRFD’s website, “The goal of the fire district’s Community Outreach and Public Education program is to engage the public in meaningful, professionally delivered, and useful programs and educational sessions throughout the community that contribute to the overall wellness of families and businesses of the district.”

Five ways to accomplish these goals are defined as:

1. Visit 100% of all Kindergarten through fifth grade (K-5) classes in the Ridge Road Fire District twice per school year.

2. Increase fire safety programs for senior citizens by ten percent (10%) annually.

3. Increase interactive programs with businesses within the district by ten percent (10%) annually.

4. Record a ten percent (10%) increase in the installation of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms and/or batteries every year.

5. Provide a minimum of twelve (12) child safety seat-fitting stations annually.

The RRFD has been recognized with accreditation by the Commission of Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). They are the only municipal department in New York State to be accredited by the CFAI, and one of only 259 accredited across the globe. Evaluations for accreditation are based on Community Risk Reduction, Public Education and Community Outreach, Fire Investigation, Domestic Preparedness, Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Services, Technical Rescue and Hazardous Materials Response. “We haven’t achieved this alone. We work closely with Monroe County Agencies, the Sheriff’s Department, Greece Police and other Greece fire stations,” Gebo said.

Some of the main community outreach programs offered by RRFD include:

1. Blood Pressure Screenings - Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead many health complications. The public is invited to stop in to any of the fire stations for a blood pressure check.

2. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms- Every year about 2,500 people die in home fires, most deaths occur in homes with no working smoke alarms. RRFD offers assistance to any homeowner experiencing difficulties with their alarms, or have questions about them.

3. CPR Training - Monthly classes, on the second Wednesday of the month, are offered to the community. Individual and group classes are available. As part of the in-school program, students are taught the hands only CPR method.

4. Child Passenger Safety Seat Checks - Seven out of ten children in child safety seats are not properly secured, either the seat is not properly installed, or the restraint system is adjusted improperly. RRFD firefighters are certified to assist with proper installation of child safety seats. Community Child Car Seat Safety Educational events are held throughout the year in partnership with Monroe County STOP DWI & Traffic Safety Department and Mark’s Pizzeria, 3670 Mt. Read Blvd., who provides free pizza for the first 30 participants in car seat checks.

A main focus of the RRFD outreach programs is within the schools. “Going into the schools, and working face to face with the kids, is a great way to get in touch with the community,” Gebo said.

The Responding To Emergencies (RTE) program gives students the opportunity to learn about 911 calls. “Kids get exposure to the 911 center for police, fire and ambulance. We bring in nurses, Dr. Jeremy Cushman, an Emergency Medicine Specialist from URMC, and EMT’s to talk about their roles in response to emergencies,” Gebo said. The program is for 11th and 12th graders, and presents the many opportunities in emergency response, both as a career or as a volunteer.

Another in-school program is the Heroin Education Reduction Opioid (HERO) program. “With the increase of heroin and fen-

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A caregiver, attending the Community Car Seat Safety Educational event, receiving safety procedure instructions on the proper way to secure a child in their car seat.

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tanyl related deaths within all communities, we felt a real need to stop the spiral, and teach students about the realities of this drug use. We bring in patients in recovery, Monroe County Sheriffs, and parents who have lost children, all to talk to the students about how lives are being changed by these drugs. We also demonstrate a mock drug overdose reenactment.

We show a video and in this one hour presentation, strive to show the true cause and effect of these dangerous drugs. We recently presented to 400 students at Greece Athena High School,” Gebo said.

For more information on all the Community Outreach Programs offered by RRFD visit rrfd.org

Share Your Garden Bounty with your community

Greece Ecumenical Food Shelf and Clothing Closet

Now that we are finally into the growing season, please remember the Food Shelf can accept donations from your fruit and vegetable home gardens. There is no need to let the excess tomatoes or zucchini you toiled over go to waste! Bring them – and any other edible produce – to us during Food Shelf donation hours. We ask that it not be overripe or badly blemished. If you would eat it, we can offer it to our clients. They are so thankful for it!

Donations may be dropped off at 500 Maiden Lane on Mondays, 9-11 AM, Tuesday 11 AM to Noon, Wednesday 5 to 6 PM, and Saturday 10 to 11 AM.

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Summer Food Service Program

The Greece CSD announces its participation in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Meals will be provided to all children 18 years and under without charge. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained online at https://www. usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20PComplaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the

From the office of The Supervisor, Bill Reilich

The past several weeks have been dedicated to organizing our beloved Town Events. Our biggest event of the year – the Town of Greece Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration – as usual, it drew a crowd of several thousand people!

The day kicked off at 7:00am with the Freedom Run 5k. I would like to thank all who braved the heat to participate in the 5k. Following the 5k was the Super Hero Sprint for kids. Evening festivities picked up around 4:00pm with the opening several local food trucks and family-friendly and children’s activities. Later in the evening, the first act of the night – Nik and the Nice Guys – performed. This high energy party band entertained attendees with a variety of upbeat music. Then the main act of the evening took the stage: Grand Funk Railroad! The huge celebration ended with a bang – literally! The Town of Greece is proud to have one of the best firework displays in Monroe County, and this year did not disappoint.

Our next Food Truck Rodeo and Summer Concert will be held Tuesday, August 15th from 5:30 – 8:30 at the Greece Town Campus. The concert that evening will feature The Skycoasters.

During our Meeting of the Greece Town Board in June, we recognized a local business that has received outstanding

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by: Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; fax: (202) 690-7442; or email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Persons interested in receiving more information should contact The Greece Central School, 750 Maiden Ln Rochester 14615, (585)966-2911.

Site open to all children 18 years and under in the community:

English Village Elementary School, 800 Tait Avenue, Rochester 14616

Begin Date 7/5/23, End Date 8/18/23. Breakfast 8 to 9:30AM, Lunch11:30AM to 1PM.

Sites open to students attending summer programs in these schools:

Brookside Elementary School, 1144 Long Pond Road, Rochester 14626

Begin Date 7/10/23, End Date 8/17/23, Breakfast 9 to 9:30AM, Lunch 12 Noon to1PM

Pine Brook Elementary School, 2300 English Road, Rochester 14616

Begin Date 7/10/23, End Date 8/18/23, Breakfast 8:30AM to 9AM, Lunch 11AM to1PM

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awards. Wood Kettle Brewing has a 7-barrel brewing system and has brewed approximately 70 unique beers in the five years they have been operational. In early 2022, they decided to enter their first beer competition: the 2022 New York State Brewer’s Association Craft Beer Competition. Approximately 170 breweries participated and over 1,200 beers were submitted for judging. The Brother Bear Brown Ale, named after Mark’s grandson, Bear, won the Gold Medal in the American Brown Ale Category. This beer also won the 2022 Governor’s Cup for “Best in Show”, which is the highest honor awarded a beer in this competition. This year, they again entered the New York State Brewer’s Association Craft Beer Competition. Approximately 190 breweries entered the competition and over 1,300 beers were submitted for judging. Their Pearl to the Pine Weizenbock, which they brewed in collaboration with Nine Spot Brewing in Rochester, won the Gold Medal in the Wheat Beer Category. It also won a Gold Medal for Best Collaborative Beer at the show.

Last month, we welcomed a new business to town at 145 Bellwood Drive. I was joined by owner Reddy Rathnaker, J&P Asset Management Owner Jim Overman, and the WoodSpring Suites Team for the grand event. When asked why this team chose to open a location in the Town of Greece, they responded by saying that Greece has a very diverse employee population with people in many industries including Construction, Finance, Manufacturing, Retail, Services, Transportation, continued on page 18

Greece American Legion to hold the 12th Annual Warrior Benefit Concert

For the past 12 years, Greece American Legion has held the Warrior Benefit Concert on the second Saturday of August. This year’s event will be Saturday, August 12th, from 9:00am to 10:00pm. The guests of honor are a 99 year old WWII Veteran and an Army Search and Rescue Specialist Veteran who was deployed at 9/11’s Ground Zero.

The concert will begin with a motorcade escort from Ferris Goodridge American Legion Post 330, to the Greece American Legion Post 468. Opening ceremony at 10am features the Greece American Legion Color Guard, Nick Novellin singing God Bless America and Our National Anthem, along with the introduction of our Guests of Honor. The Warrior Benefit Concert event is open to the public and has food, raffles, baskets and music.

Each year the Warrior Benefit Concert raises funds for those men and women of the military recovering from wounds they received during deployments. The funds raised go to two local benefactors who use all the monies given and never keep any money for administrative expenses. For every dollar given and raised, every dollar goes out.

The benefactors are NYS Warrior Alliance and PGRNY Help on

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Commerce, Electric, and Wholesale Trade. Guests who choose Woodspring Suites are from all of these sectors, including traveling nurses, IT contractors, government workers, family visiting family or helping with a long term medical situation, and guests going through a life transition. The WoodSpring Suites team also wanted to open a location in this area to provide additional options for extended stay hotels. Throughout their research process, they concluded that hotels in this area perform a little higher than the national average and the demand

the Homefront. NYS Warrior Alliance provides goods and services to Walter Reed, Bethesda, the Burn Unit in Texas, Gold Star Mothers and many more. PGRNY provides goods and services to local areas including Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Wayne, and Orleans Counties. These services include the more immediate needs of food, clothing, shelter, bills, and basic necessities that may be needed by active duty, retired, and disabled veterans.

The most important thing that comes out of the concert is awareness of the fight that many of our veterans endure on a daily basis. Some wounds are not physical in nature. Awareness of PTSD, suicide, drug and alcohol addiction, homelessness, and mental health remain in the forefront of our cause.

This year’s lineup includes 11 performances both inside and outside during the day. Music begins at 9:30am, and continues to 10:00pm. The artists and groups for this year are Rock Jester, Knight Patrol, Axton Landing, Executive Order, Kid Kurry Band, Lake Effect, Another Vise, Rodger Chennley, Joey Allen, and Uncle Mojo’s House Party featuring Deborah Magone. We thank all of the entertainers that donate their talents to make this concert a success.

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is growing. Furthermore, Greece is convenient to Downtown Rochester, entertainment, health care facilities, retails, parks, the International Airport, and major highways.

As always, I enjoy hearing feedback from residents about programming and other Town-related matters. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office or visit our website. Keep on the look-out for additional details regarding town sponsored events and news on my Facebook page: Bill Reilich Greece Town Supervisor.

Greece Family Dentistry 6th Annual Free Dental Day a great success

On June 3, 2023, The 2023 For the Love of God Dentistry team of Volunteers were privileged to provide FREE Dental Care to nearly 100 guests, totaling over $38,145 of blessings to our community.

We had our first patient line up outside our door at 6:30 am to be sure she was first in line! And by 9:30am, our registration numbers were already at 97 people waiting for a free cleaning, filling, or extraction!

We are so thankful to all those who helped get the word out as community supporters, as well as Public Service Announcements. What an awesome response from our vendor connections who were willing to donate thousands of dollars in much needed clinical supplies. Especially Henry Schein. Shout out to Wegmans for their support year after year.

The success of this event wouldn’t have been possible without the servant’s heart of all our Volunteers. We had Dentists, Hygienists, and Dental Assistants from several area offices lend their skills to provide care. Many additional hands made the whole system work together with volunteers to usher patients through the process, work in Sterilization, love on and comfort people through the hospitality team, as well as direct and greet all our guests.

We had an amazing representation of community organizations providing other great services and giveaways as well.

This was truly a day of giving and we are extremely blessed to have your support. We shared many smiles and look forward to another year of blessings next year at FLG2024.

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Get

House Ready for Your

Chamber Offers Collette Trips to Costa Rica, Portugal, and Greece

The Greece Regional Chamber of Commerce and Collette have lined up exciting trips for the spring of 2024: Tropical Costa Rica, Sunny Portugal, and Greece Island Hopper.

Special package pricing is available for those who reserve by the specified date for each trip. In addition, Chamber members receive a discount when booking by the deadline for each trip: Tropical Costa Rica, 9/10/2023; Sunny Portugal 10/3/2023; and Greece Island Hopper, 11/10/2023.

“Collette is one of the Chamber’s larger business members with over 100 years of experience as an international tour operator. We are proud to partner with them in bringing exciting and unique trips of high quality and value to our members and to the general public in our region and beyond,” said Greece Regional Chamber President and CEO Sarah E. Lentini.

While membership is not required to participate in the travel program, Greece Regional Chamber Associate and Business members are eligible for travel discounts on many destinations. The public can find additional trips and more information on the Chamber’s travel program by visiting www.GreeceChamber.org, emailing Info@GreeceChamber.org, or calling 585.227.7272. Provided Information and Photo

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Greece Public Library Board of Trustees, announced the Board will meet every 2nd Thursday of the month, at the Greece Public Library, 2 Vince Tofany Blvd.,Greece, 14612, in the Frear Room at 4:30pm. All meetings are open to the public.

Notice given pursuant to Section 104 of New York State Public Officers Law, Article 7 (Open Meetings Law).

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Town of Greece holds Proclamation Ceremony

Greece Town Supervisor Bill Reilich was joined by Greece Town Board Members Mike Barry, Mike Bloomer, Bill Murphy, and Diana Christodaro for Proclamation Ceremony during the June 22, 2023 meeting of the Greece Town Board recognizing the achievements of Wood Kettle Brewing.

Wood Kettle Brewing is located at the corner of Manitou Road and Latta Road. The business is owned by Mark Miles and Joey Baldwin. The business opened in December of 2017, shortly after the passing of business partner, Bill Allen.

Wood Kettle Brewing has a 7-barrel brewing system and has brewed approximately 70 unique beers in the five years they have been operational. In early 2022, they decided to enter their first beer competition: the 2022 New York State Brewer’s Association Craft Beer Competition. Approximately 170 breweries participated and over 1,200 beers were submitted for judging. The Brother Bear Brown Ale, named after Mark’s grandson, Bear, won the Gold Medal in the American Brown Ale Category.

This beer also won the 2022 Governor’s Cup for “Best in Show”, which is the highest honor awarded a beer in this competition. This year, they again entered the New York State Brewer’s Association Craft Beer Competition. Approximately 190 breweries entered the competition and over 1,300 beers were submitted for judging. Their Pearl to the Pine Weizenbock, which they brewed in collaboration with Nine Spot Brewing in Rochester, won the Gold Medal in the Wheat Beer Category. It also won a Gold Medal for Best Collaborative Beer at the show.

Provided Information and Photo

Seasonal Bucket List: 5 Ways to Spend Your Summer

Summer is in full swing! Use this bucket list to enjoy some of the sunny season’s best activities around Rochester’s westside.

1. Scream for Ice Cream

The Front Porch Ice Cream Shop at Green Acre Farm & Nursery on Latta Road in Greece serves Gifford’s Award Winning Ice Cream and Turkey Hill Ice Cream. Fat-free, sugarfree, gluten-free and lactosefree ice cream available, Scottsville’s iKON Ice-Cream has an extensive offering of custard flavor combinations and milkshake flavors, plus a long list of hard ice cream to choose from. But don’t stop there! Try their iKon Butter beer, iced koffee, floats and boba/bubble tea. Your four-legged friend will also love iKon, with doggie delight sundaes on the menu.

LuGia’s Ice Cream on Lyell Road in Spencerport has a long list of hard ice cream flavors and sundaes to choose from. Their unique novelties in clude ice cream tacos, ice cream cupcakes, spumoni roll and the Gia-Li cious M&M Cookie Sandwich. Want LuGia’s to come to you? LuGia’s On Wheels is the ultimate ice cream truck experience for your next party or event.

Sprinkles Ice Cream on Chili Ave in Chili offers over 25 flavors of Perry’s ice cream. Other tasty treats include sundaes, frozen custard in chocolate, vanilla and two other flavors that change weekly, plus 3-4 flavors of Italian ice. Multiple tables provide seating alongside the building.

The Village Ice Cream Shop (VICS) in Spencerport proved so success-

ful, that they opened a second location – Village Ice Cream Shop in North Chili (VICS INC) in 2022. Both VICS locations serve a long list of Gifford’s Ice Cream plus innovative (and delicious!) offerings such as waffle chip nachos. Sundaes come in 18 varieties – ranging from traditional hot fudge to unique options, like Fortnite and unicorn.

2. Cool Off at These Splash Pads

Wild Over Water Zone at the Greece Town Hall is free for Greece residents and $5 per child per day for non-residents. The region’s largest municipal splash pad is zoo-themed, with dumping coconuts, spraying zebras and spritzing insects. A mini alligator slide and ground sprays keep the water splashing! It’s located next to the imaginative Kids Canyon Playground, which is free for everyone to enjoy.

Union Station Park and Sprayground in North Chili has a traditional playground alongside a splash pad with animal and flower features that douse water. It’s open daily through Labor Day and free for residents and non-residents. The park also has a small pavilion for shade, bathrooms and a walking trail.

Two splash pads await at Pineway Ponds Park in Spencerport. The larger pad has ground sprays, dumping buckets and sprinklers to cool you down, while the classic splash pad has squirting sea creatures that continues on page 24

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Greece News JulyAugust 2023

continues from page 23 kids will enjoy climbing on. Both areas are surrounded by picnic tables and shade-trees.

In Brockport, Sweden Town Park’s splash pad has multiple moving parts that spray water, including dumping buckets and palm trees. Kids will have fun playing with the spinning ball sprinklers that create fun patterns with water. The splash pad is located in the rear of the park, near an accessible playground.

3. Listen to Local Music at Community Concerts

The Greece Summer Concert Series and Food Truck Rodeo will be held on Tuesday, August 15th from 5:30 to 8:30pm at the Greece Town Hall Campus. Food trucks and a concert featuring the Skycoasters.

Bands at Barnard Wednesday Night concert series schedule includes: July 26 - Completely Unchained; August 2 - Queen Flash; August 9 - Street Survivors; August 16 - Fleetwood Macked; August 23 - Forever Seger; August 30 - TrYst, WSG, JUMBOshrimp. Check the Bands at Barnard 2023 Facebook page for complete details.

Part of the Erie Canalway National Heritage concert series, Spencerport “Music on the Canal” Concert Series happens on Sunday evenings at the gazebo on Amity Street. Concerts begin at 6:30 PM and are held weekly through August 27, rain or shine. The full music schedule is available here.

Gates Recreation and Parks’ Summer Concert Series are held outside of Gates Town Hall every other Sunday evening starting on July 9. Each week, a different food truck will be on-site serving up dinner while you enjoy the music. All concerts are free and begin at 6:30 PM. If the weather does not cooperate, they will be moved inside the Town Hall. On August 27, performances will take place at Gates Memorial Park – and there will be two bands, starting at 4:00 PM.

On Wednesday nights from July 5 to August 9, Riga Recreation’s Summer Gazebo Concert Series takes place at the Churchville Village Gazebo. Performances start at 6:30 PM and run rain or shine. The August 2nd evening has a special start time of 7:00 PM and includes The Relay For Life/Luminaria ceremony. View the series schedule here.

The Town of Henrietta’s Summer Concert Series takes place at the Henry Hansen Amphitheater in Veterans Memorial Park. Shows start at 6:30 PM on Friday nights from July 14 to August 18 and are free to the public. The list of bands and accompanying food trucks is available online.

4. Learn Something New

The Monroe County Library System offers Empire Passes for New York State Parks. At participating libraries, you can check out the pass – just like a library book – and receive free admission at hundreds of New York State Parks. After you’ve had a great day hiking, biking, swimming, fishing and more, return the pass to the library.

Like the Empire Pass, the Monroe County Library System has a Very Important Places (V.I.P.) pass, granting you a substantial discount on admission to art and cultural attractions around Monroe County and beyond. This chart indicates which passes are available at each library.

Visit www.greecepubliclibrary.org Calendar page for all the Summer Programs available including story times, craft activities and family nights and camps.

Have a green thumb? The Chili Public Library recently launched a Seed Library, with help from a generous donation from the Chili Lions Club. You can “borrow” a variety of flower and vegetable seeds at no cost. To keep the seed library blooming for years to come, community members are encouraged to donate seeds back to the library after harvest.

Area libraries, community centers and recreation departments have

a variety of events and programming all summer long. Check what’s available to you and try something new!

5. Try Your Hand at the Trendiest Sport: Pickleball Pickleball courts are located on the Wellness Way at the Greece Town Hall Campus. Several Pickleball programs for all skill levels to choose from, indoors and outdoors including drop-in pickleball. Visit Town of Greece Parks and Recreation page at www.greeceny.gov for complete details.

The Chili Community Center has a variety of pickleball programming for a variety of ages and skill levels. Bring your own equipment or borrow some from the front desk. Beginner Open Pickleball is for all ages of beginners to play at the recreation level and Family Pickleball is open to kids in a pick-up format. There’s also College & High School Pickleball and Women’s Pickleball.

Drop-in pickleball programming is available at the Ogden Community Center. There are different days and times based on your rating (recreation play vs. advanced play), so be sure to check the schedule ahead of time. All players must have an account with Ogden Parks and Recreation and sign in on entry. The cost is $2 for residents and $3 for non-residents, with punch cards available for multiple visits.

Run by the Town of Riga’s Recreation Department, the Pickleball Complex at Richard McNeely Park has two dedicated, outdoor courts with permanent lines and nets. The courts are free to use and include an honor equipment box for players to test out gear.