Greece News June/July 2023

such participants as Greece Post 468 Color Guard, local legion posts and veteran groups, the Greece Town Council members and Judges, scout troops, community service departments, musical bands, sports teams, and many more patriotic participants. Following the parade was the Town of Greece Remembrance Ceremony, held at the Greece Town Campus Pavilion. During the Ceremony, we recognized all those who served our country and paid the ultimate price. We also recognized all in the crowd who had their names engraved on the Gary Beikirch Veterans Memorial Wall this year. Conflict names were read in remembrance of those who lost their lives serving our country. Our vocalist, Nick Novellin, performed a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem and Greece Post 468 Color Guard performed the Presentation of Colors and the Lay-

We hosted another successful shredding event this past month. I am always happy to offer this free and confidential service to Greece residents. We will schedule another event with evening hours in the

This past month, we brought back the Jerry J. Helfer Memorial Food Truck Rodeo and Summer Concert. This year’s concert featured Zac Brown Tribute Band. Hundreds came out to enjoy the music and have a tasty meal from one of many food trucks participating. Proceeds collected at the event were donated to the Jerry J. Helfer Youth Engagement Scholarship Fund, which provides the Greece community with the opportunity to recognize a student that regularly upholds exemplary moral values, devotes time and energy into helping serve the Greece community, and consistently displays outstanding leadership skills.

Keep tuned for upcoming details on our beloved Town of Greece Old Fashioned Fourth of July Event. You can find details on upcoming events on our Town of Greece website or Facebook page: Bill Reilich Greece Town Supervisor.

Greece Peace Officers’ Association Recognizes The Greece Special Police Officers at Annual Banquet

The Greece Peace Officers’ Association hosted the Annual Awards Banquet for the Greece Special Police Department on April 15, 2023, at Red Fedele’s restaurant.

The Greece Special Police Unit is a group of 30 men and women who are NYS Peace Officers and volunteer their time to the Greece Community. They assist the Greece Police Department with traffic control, crowd control and parks/plazas patrol. The Special Police Unit worked approximately 5,900 hours last year.

At this year’s banquet, several people were recognized for years of service and yearly awards. The banquet is a time to celebrate and recognize the men and women of the Greece Special Police, who give their time to the Greece Community. They work along with the Greece Police Department to ensure all special events have staffing, as well as ensuring the safety of all involved.

The following officers were recognized for their achievements: Chief Michael DiCataldo and Officer Tom Asenato were recognized for 35 years of service to the GSPD; Officer Winston Guy for 20 years of service, and Sgt. David Wheeler, Officer Michael Simeone and Officer Robert Kielkowicz for 5 years of Service.

The Greece Special Police Unit had a swearing in ceremony for their newest members; Lucas Baran, Gary Coon, Ange Loch, Kris Mattioli and Eric Floyd.

Sgt. William Connell received the Sgt. Bill Hunt Memorial “Officer of the Year Award” and Officer Gary Coon received the Sherm Safford “Rookie of the Year” Award.

Three Officers received Special Recognition Awards for going above and beyond expectations, with two incidents “off duty” and one “on duty” action.

The Greece Peace Officer’s Association is very proud to recognize all the members of the Greece Special Police Unit who have contributed to make this a very successful year. To learn more about what the Greece Special Police Department does, or to join the group, go to www.greecespecialpolicepolice.com.

For information regarding the Greece Peace Officer’s Association, find us on Facebook.

The newest members of the Greece Special Police.

Sgt. Bill Connell received the Bill Hunt Memorial “Officer of the Year” Award.

Special Recognition Awards to Gary Coon, Mike Valenti, and Cody Szatkowski for going above and beyond, On and Off duty.

Officer Gary Coon received the Sherm Safford “Rookie of the Year” Award.

Greece News June/July 2023

Pine Brook Second-Graders Win First-Ever State

Three Greece Central School District second-graders took first place in the NYS First in Math Tournament. Pine Brook Elementary School students, Santino Markle, Gemma Pisciotti and Rediet Yilma took top honors at the tournament, held in Albany on May 20.

During the event, students used game cards, (representing online activities they could practice), competitively in a group setting to demonstrate through modeling their conceptual understanding. Students competed against peers from their own grade levels with winners crowned in each grade 1-5.

Greece teacher Jared Fowler, who coached the team, said in addition to getting the experience of a lifetime, these remarkable mathematicians also earned $6,000 in prize money for their school. The Pine Brook students were among about 150 kids statewide to participate in the competition, which was the first of its kind in New York State.

Provided Information and Photo

Math Tournament

Greece Chamber Inducts 15 into 2023 Youth Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame Program provides an important annual opportunity to recognize outstanding high school students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and personal development along with dedicated service to our community and their peers.

The 2023 Youth Hall of Fame Inductees are: Tyler Blanchard – Greece Athena; Breanna Borosky – Greece Olympia; Sydney Brien – Greece Athena; Riley Catena – Greece Athena; Maximilian Cook, Jr. – Greece Athena; Cristina Curthoys – Greece Athena; Grace Devine – Greece Athena; Serigne Diao – Greece Athena; Eh Knyaw – Greece Athena; Ashlee Laemlein – Greece Olympia; Nathan Litz – Greece Athena; Sadé Mewborn– Greece Athena; Ethan Rodriguez – Greece Athena; Jada Williams – Greece Athena; Maya Williams – Greece Athena.

The Youth Hall of Fame is an initiative of the Greece Regional Chamber of Commerce with support from regional businesses, schools, and government. Inductees are chosen annually by the Chamber’s Youth Hall of Fame Committee. Candidates for the award are nominated by high school teachers, counselors and administrators, area businesses, community youth agencies, service organizations, or area residents.

The Youth Hall of Fame inductees will be featured in a yearlong display at the Greece Regional Chamber’s kiosk at The Mall

The Chamber thanks the following sponsors for this year’s tor Jeremy A. Cooney; Gold Sponsors: Sign Impressions and The Summit Federal Credit Union; Bronze Sponsors: Deborah Ham Whitt State Farm Agency and Victors Gymnastics; Venue Sponsor: Bryant & Stratton College; Photography Sponsor: BRL Entertainment Solutions; Floral Sponsor: Rockcastle Florist.

“We are especially grateful to Presenting Sponsor, New York State Senator Jeremy Cooney, and to the business and nonprofit organizations in the Greece Regional Chamber membership for their ongoing dedication and commitment to the youth of our community,” said Greece Regional Chamber President/CEO Sarah Lentini. “We are proud to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Chamber’s Youth Hall of Fame and to note all of the wonderful young people – past and present – that we’ve been honored to be able to recognize.”

The 2023 Youth Hall of Fame Committee members currently include: Sarah Lentini (Greece Regional Chamber of Commerce); Lenora Paige (Rochester Specialty Contractors); Dr. Cedrick-Michael Simmons (Greece Central School District); Kyle Van Putte (Van Putte Gardens); Deborah Ham Whitt (Deborah Ham Whitt Agency Inc.); Trisha Wilson (The Summit Federal Credit Union).

For more information, contact the Chamber at Info@GreeceChamber.org or 585.227-7272.

Provided Information and Photo

Summer Book Sale

The Friends of the Greece Public Library are sponsoring their Summer Book Sale on Saturday, June 24, 2023, from 9AM to 3PM. Sale will be held at the Buckman’s Plaza, Lower Level, 2590 West Ridge Road.

Book selections include children’s books, non-fiction, fiction, mystery, adventure and romance.

Please bring your own bag. Masking is optional.

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Celebrating 50 years of Jazz on the radio

by Barbara Burke

Jazz90.1 in Greece has been bringing local jazz to the Rochester area for 50 years.

In the early 70s the Greece Central School District decided to establish an FM radio station with the purpose of providing services to the community. On November 1, 1973, 90.1 WGMC was on the air for the first time. Since inception, Jazz90.1 FM has been providing jazz, blues, big band music, community events, concerts and public service programming to Rochester.

Rob Linton, Station Manager at Jazz90.1, said the station has embodied their mission to “Take Jazz Further.” “We concentrate on keeping the music alive and the conversation going. It is very difficult to sustain a full time, community jazz radio station. We are one of the last left in the United States. Over the years we have tweaked our format to appeal to all jazz fans. Tuning in you may hear anything from Ella Fitzgerald to The Bad Plus,” Linton said.

On any given day, listeners from 15 different countries around the world are tuning in to the sta tion.

According to their website,“At Jazz90.1, we believe that jazz is a living music. That’s why half our broadcast hours are focused on current artists who are committed to moving the music forward. Jazz90.1 plays more new music than any radio station in the U.S. On the flip side, we also play a heaping portion of the classics, names like Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, and many more. When you

listen to Jazz90.1, you get the best new jazz, and the best jazz of all time.”

Volunteers are the fuel that keeps Jazz90.1 going. There are only three paid employees, the rest are volunteers from across the Rochester area, DJs, office, promotional and marketing staff, with 25 on-air volunteers. “All of our DJs choose the music that they play. They have a library of over 15,000 CDs to choose from, that keeps the music fresh and creates a wide variety of offerings,” Linton said. Station funding relies on donations from the community and businesses.

Jazz90.1 is located at Greece Olympia High School. They work closely with students in the media classes as part of their commitment to the community. Students participating in the program get first hand experience working in all aspects of operation of a radio station, everything from on air work, to marketing and promotions, fundraising and the day to day of what goes into se-

Jazz90.1 provides a wide variety of Live Events, with many free -

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Rob Linton, Station Manager at Jazz90.1.

Derrick Lucas, DJ at Jazz90.1, he is the host of The Spectrum every Sunday night from 10pm-1am and weekday mornings.

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tist Church and Jazz cruises aboard the Colonial Belle in Fairport. “Rochester is a huge Jazz town. There has always been famous jazz clubs here. We also have a world renown music school here in Rochester. The best thing that the community can do to support jazz in Rochester is to attend our free concerts. There is music there that hits all that jazz has to offer,” Linton said.

Free Student Jazz Workshops during Jazz Fest

Open to all Music students • No Registration Required Attend one or more days • All instruments welcome at each workshop

Five structured jazz workshops give music students of all ages the exceptional opportunity to play and meet, listen to and learn from professional jazz musicians performing at the festival. Hosted by Bob Sneider, Eastman School of Music Associate Professor of Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media and Sr. Instructor of Jazz Guitar.

WORKSHOPS

Monday, June 26 - 1-2:30PM, Peter Johnston, Piano

Tuesday, June 27 - 1-2:30PM, Tommy Smith, Saxophone

Wednesday, June 28 - 1-2:30PM, Cory Weeds, Saxophone

Thursday, June 29 - 1-2:30PM, David Hazeltine, Piano

Friday, June 30 - 1-2:30PM, Bruce Barth, Piano

Jazz90.1 is planning special events for the Fall to celebrate their 50th Anniversary including a Gala, additional free concerts, and an Open House.

For more information on Jazz90.1, including complete free concert listings, live streams, and programming information visit www.jazz901.org

All workshops held at Eastman School of Music, Ray Wright Room (RM120), 26 Gibbs Street, Rochester.

For more information visit www.rochesterjazz.com

Provided Information

The Spartan Morning News Club with Special Education teacher Patrick Coyne, start at 7:05AM by setting up the work space in the studio provided, in partnership with Jazz90.1. The students livestream, until 7:30AM, running the production, reading the news and events information. L-r, front: Miaa, Mia, Ismatu, Max, Safa and Patrick Coyne (teacher); l-r back: Stephanie,Christian, Riley, Sarika, Elleanna and Elizabeth. Cover photo: Rob Linton, Jazz90.1 Station Manager and photos by Karen Fien