My Hometown Magazine June 2023

A Westside News, Inc. Publication

Publisher Keith Ryan

Managing Editor Gary Sajdak

Email: gary.sajdak@westsidenewsny.com

Contributing Writers & Photographers Barbara Burke, Maggie Fitzgibbon, Colleen Onuffer, Tami Raco, John Robortella, Joe Territo

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Lori Antonelli ext. 133 Rachael Blair ext. 139

Debbie Day Ext. 131 Tami Raco ext. 129

Mary Lou Rockow ext. 134 Gary Sajdak ext. 135

Ellen Stevens ext. 130

4 Chili Fire Department Unveils New Fire Hall

6 North Chili Farmers Market Opens For Season

7 Howard Road Garage Celebrates 60 Years

8 Rochester Red Wings June Game & Promotion Schedule

9 Gates Chili Senior Is Crazy For Coffee

10 Chil-E Fest Schedule of Events

12 Walk For Hope At Hope Hall School

16 Knights Of Columbus Hosts Brew Fest For Vets

16 Willie Bee Foundation Hosts Golf Tournament

17 LilyFire Farms Gives Families Hands-on Farm Fun

Cover Photo by Joe Territo Photography

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My Hometown Fire Department

Chili Fire Department Unveils New Fire Hall

by Colleen Onuffer

On Saturday, April 22, with lights flashing and sirens blaring, fire trucks of Chili Fire Department Company 1 relocated from their former hall to their new location at 3225 Chili Avenue.

A grand opening ceremony will take place on Saturday, June 10, at 11 a.m. Following a short ceremony, the hall will be available to the public for an open house.

“We’re very excited for our new, state-of-the-art space,” said Chris Fish of the Chili Fire Department. During his 34 years as a firefighter, he’s held the roles of fire chief and president of the organization.

Construction of the hall began about three years ago – but the project has been at least ten years in the making.

“As the town’s needs have evolved over the last 50 years, the fire department also needed to evolve and keep up,” said Fish. With the age of the former building, the organization needed to make decisions on whether to invest in roofing, structural, and heating and air upgrades versus a more modern building. Another reason for the new hall was the need for bigger apparatus bays for storing the vehicles. The department’s new ladder truck barely fit in the old hall’s bays, leaving only a few inches to spare.

Unlike other fire districts, Chili Fire Department is a private entity that is contracted through the Town of Chili each year. Funding for the project came from the town, without the need to raise taxes.

“Town Supervisor Dunning and the Town Board are great partners for us. They understand our value to the community and they wanted to invest in that,” said Fish, grateful for their sup-

port. “They understood we’ve been struggling with the upkeep of this old building and knew that modernizing would better serve our growing community.”

At roughly 20,000 square feet, the new hall includes a dispatch area, apparatus bays, training room and meeting room, and incorporates the business offices, which were in a separate building previously. Advanced audio and visual capabilities have been incorporated throughout the building, improving the department’s communication and training abilities. The new building also features bunk-in sleeping quarters with eight individual bedrooms.

“Our volunteers can now spend the night when we know we have a big storm coming. Previously, folks would come down to

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Click play for a video of the new facility.

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the fire hall and sleep on the couches,” said Fish. Since fire trucks require a minimum of four volunteers to go out, the eight new rooms could mean two trucks are ready to go when needed. “They don’t have to worry now about driving to the station during a storm. This allows for a very prompt response.”

Another valuable design feature of the new hall is the separation of hot and cold zones.

“There’s been lots of focus on carcinogens and the safety of our firefighters,” said Fish. In the previous hall, there weren’t dedicated areas where contaminants would remain. “We came back from a fire call and realized we couldn’t accommodate that… volunteers were tramping through lounge and meeting hall areas with their boots, soiled gear and the soot.”

Now, there is a space, the hot zone, where dirty gear is removed and cleaned off. Firefighters then walk into the clean room space or cold zone, without the threat of bringing carcinogens through common areas.

“This is a long-term benefit to our people,” said Fish. “We have to be mindful of the health and welfare of the firefighters.”

Currently, 110 volunteers across the CFD’s four firehouses respond to the town’s 1,000+ calls a year. To better serve the community, the department is continually looking to recruit volunteers for both interior and exterior firefighting duties. No experience is necessary as the department provides all necessary training. There is also the explorer program open to youth ages 14 to 18, allowing them to get involved, socialize and learn skills that they can apply back in life.

“It’s very rewarding to get to know people in our community.

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Chili Fire Department Explorers participate in training lead by Chief Andrew Wilkinson.

My Hometown Fire Department

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Although it’s not always in the best of times. But I get to know them more, weeks, months, years later,” said Fish. “We were there when they needed us the most.”

Those interested in volunteering can reach out via the Chili

My Hometown Farm Market

North Chili Farmers Market opens for the season June 17

The North Chili Farmers Market will open for the season on June 17. It is held on Saturdays, June 17 through October 28, from 8 a.m. to noon at the United Methodist Church of North Chili, at the corner of Westside Drive and Buffalo Road.

Established in 1976, the Farmers Market is in its 48th season and continues to be a benefit to the local community, offering fresh produce and other products from local farms and vendors. Provided information

Fire Department website, https://www.chilifire.org, or stop by the firehouse to talk to someone in person.

“Any time the truck bay doors are open, people are welcome to say hello!” said Fish.

Explorers suit up in full gear during training.

Photos by Joe Territo Photography

My Hometown Business

60 Years as a Family Business

Howard Road Garage has serviced the auto community since 1963

by Barbara Burke

In 1963, Nick Sobolew was work ing at Judge’s Ford on Lake Avenue, in Rochester. Sobolew’s co-worker and friend at Judge’s, Pete VanDerhoeven, asked him if he wanted to invest with him in an auto repair business that he found for sale. In 1963 they went into business together and opened Howard Road Garage, located at 51 Howard Road, in Gates.

Initially, the majority of Howard Road Garage’s business came from local auto dealerships, installing air conditioning and cruise control systems in new au tomobiles. In the 1960s new cars did not come into dealerships equipped with AC and Cruise Control, they were optional features that car buyers could select at time of purchase. Installing so many units for dealerships helped Howard Road Garage to become known, area-wide, as an air condition ing specialist.

In the 1980s Nick Sobolew bought out his partner Pete, and in the late 1990s Nick retired from the business, passing it on to his son Anatol “Ski” and daughter-in-law Sharon Sobolew, who are the current owners. Today Ski and Sharon’s three sons, Josh, Justin and Jordan, all work together in the family business.

“My husband Ski grew up as a me chanic working here at the garage. When my father-in-law retired in the late 1990s, Ski need help and asked me to come in and manage the busi ness. Currently I am the secretary, re ceptionist and business manager and I love every minute of my job,” Sharon Sobolew said.

The business slogan at Howard Road Garage is, “Doing Business The Old Fashioned Way.” Customer Service is the number one priority. “Customer loyalty is huge for us. Our customers keep coming back. We also have a lot of referrals, friends of friends and family members of long time customers. We have one customer, Dan, who has been coming to us since 1964. He will stop in just for a visit and to sit around and talk,” Sharon said.

There are lots of customers who stop in, not only for car ser vice, they come to socialize, sitting around the large table in the waiting room, sharing stories and news. “We all share in each other’s laughter and tears. I love being here. Every day I learn

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My Hometown Business

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opened their “Fleet Shop” where they have the ability to service large trucks and vans. This is where another busy aspect of their business, servicing and maintaining commercial vehicles for businesses, takes place.

In addition to specializing in air conditioning and heating system installation and repairs, Howard Road Garage offers complete auto repair and maintenance. According to their website, “Your car’s engine is made up of hundreds of complex components working together to ensure that your vehicle starts and runs properly. Over time, however, these components can wear out, resulting in a loss of performance and fuel economy. We believe in preventive maintenance - keeping your car in good working order and avoiding the problems that can lead to roadside breakdowns. Our expert technicians are trained to help keep your car running as safely as possible, making sure that the major mechanical systems are functioning properly and efficiently. At Howard Road Garage, we understand how important your car is to you and we know your car’s needs. We can help you follow its factory-recommended maintenance schedule.”

Howard Road Garage, 51 Howard Road in Gates, is open Monday thru Friday 8AM to 4PM. Call 585-429-5790 to schedule a service appointment. For more information visit www.howardroadgarage.com

Josh and Jordan Sobolew working in the bays at Howard Road Garage.

Gates Chili senior is crazy

by Colleen Onuffer

For many high school seniors, senioritis is setting in as they daydream about their last summer before college or the “real world.” But Gates Chili senior Hiram Santiago Jr. is busy brewing up his coffee business.

Santiago is the owner and sole employee of Golden Lion Coffee Co., an online, specialty-grade coffee company that delivers freshly roasted beans straight to consumer’s doors.

“I have been aspiring to be an entrepreneur for many years but have been really set on it in the past year, exploring many different areas of business to develop my skills and find out what I enjoy,” said Santiago, who handles all of the company’s responsibilities, including supply chain management, marketing, graphic design, financials and customer service.

“Golden Lion Coffee Co. started with a drive and pressure to have a successful business that I actually enjoyed bringing to light,” explained Santiago. While scrolling on Instagram over spring break, he saw an ad for a coffee roaster who was looking for new business partners. “It was a perfect match for me as I drank a lot of coffee and was within that community already.”

“I immediately got to work planning, organizing, and carrying out what I needed to make this idea a reality. I was up ‘till 5 a.m. night after night, grinding out the start-up work until I finally had something to work with at hand. It was a proud moment seeing the heavy lifting finished.”

When it came to naming the business and designing a logo, Santiago was inspired by the quality of the coffee and another passion of his: gaming. Santiago has participated in Esports (short for electronic sports, the world of organized, competitive video gaming where spectators watch gamers compete against each other) for 10 years as a competitive gamer. In the fall, he will attend Siena Heights University in Michigan on a scholarship to compete at the collegiate level within the video game VALORANT.

“Golden Lion Coffee Co. came from thinking of names that build on my gaming persona and represent the quality of the coffee (grade 1),” said Santiago. “My competitive gaming name is Noble, so I wanted to think of something that was noble, kingly, royalty. I eventually thought of the lion as the jungle king and gold is usually a sign of wealth and nobility throughout history. The logo further represents the persona and quality, being a lion wearing a king’s crown.”

Golden Lion Coffee Co. currently offers seven different types of coffee – all ethically sourced from smallholder farmers across the globe. Products come from some of the world’s top coffee producing countries: Colombia, Brazil, Honduras, Bali, Ethiopia, Peru and Tanzania. Santiago is already considering new products, such as a mocha flavored blend and holiday flavors like pumpkin spice and candy cane, as well as creating recipe guides for trying different types of coffee at home.

“What is different about our coffee is that not only is it ethically sourced, but it is also the highest grade (quality) of coffee you can get, grade 1. This means it is smooth and easy to drink and has a rich taste and aroma,” explained Santiago. “It is also freshly roasted to order; this means that your coffee beans will be roasted right before it is shipped to your home, guaranteeing its freshness.”

Because the coffee is freshly roasted before it is shipped, products take about five to six days to be delivered. Golden Lion’s coffee is currently only available through the website, where shipping is free to U.S. customers, but Santiago hopes to get it into local stores soon.

“I want Golden Lion Coffee to become a staple in our community and something that we all love and talk about!” he exclaimed.

Santiago is looking forward to graduating from high school so he has time to put more work into his coffee business before he heads off to college in pursuit of his other dream of becoming a professional gamer.

“I look forward to what the future awaits, and I am glad to have started this venture in my hometown and with supportive people around me.”

Hiram Santiago Jr. is the owner of Golden Lion Coffee Co.

My Hometown School

Walk for Hope supports expansion of Hope Hall School

On Thursday, May 25, the entire Hope Hall community came together to take part in the school’s Walk for Hope. This year, the annual student-driven fundraiser not only fulfilled its traditional mission of supporting the education of Hope Hall’s students who learn differently, it contributed to the Hope for Tomorrow Campaign.

The Hope for Tomorrow Campaign is a four-year $18 million comprehensive campaign supporting facilities expansion and renovation, scholarships and financial aid, and unique programming tailored to the needs of students. In addition, it provides for the future of Hope Hall through capacity building and funding. The school is in its final phase of fundraising, so this year’s Walk was mission-critical.

Hope Hall’s students worked diligently to each raise a minimum of $100 through online and in-person fundraising, collecting bottles and cans, and even collaborating on class projects such as a coffee café or “Springing for Hope” in which one of Hope Hall’s 12th grade classes used math and measurement skills to craft wrist and neck lanyards, Hope ribbons, and coffee koozies that were sold to the public, raising over $500.

For many of the students, 87% of which experience financial hardship, and a significant number of whom live in the inner city, these creative initiatives, plus “Sole Mates” – Community members who sponsor students or entire classes for $10 per student – help students achieve their goal of $100 each. As of May 24, 91 Sole Mates had donated more than $10,500.

“Every year, our Walk for Hope is an important fundraiser for the school, but this year’s Walk is more critical than ever, because it is literally contributing to ‘a new foundation’ for the school. The

walls have just gone up on the basement-level woodworking inventory management center, which will be the foundation for the first floor expansion of the woodworking center and the second floor expansion of the music room.”

The school receives no funding from New York State or school districts from which the students come, so fundraising is essential. The cost of educating each child is $22,000, but no family pays more than $5,700, and the majority of families receive significant additional financial aid. To bridge this gap between the cost of each student’s education and tuition, Hope Hall relies on grants, gifts from donors, and events such as the Walk for Hope to ensure that all students who can benefit from the school’s unique model of education are able to attend and receive the education they need and deserve. Provided information

Hope Hall’s Director of Advancement, Samantha Standing welcomes family and guests to the 2023 Walk for Hope.

Gates Volunteer Ambulance Service received a grant award from the Odd Fellow and Rebekah Benefit Fund. The money will be used to purchase recordable video laryngoscopes (demonstration of the technology shown below). Photo from @GatesAmbulance on Twitter.

My Hometown Fundraisers Knights of Columbus hosting Brew

On July 7, the Knights of Columbus will host their annual benefit to support the rehab and therapy programs provided to our service veterans at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center through VA Voluntary Service (VAVS).

The mission of VA Voluntary Service (VAVS) is to provide a structured volunteer program under the management of VA compensated employees in cooperation with community resources to serve America’s veterans and their families with dignity and compassion.

Since its inception in 2015, Brew Fest for the Vets has raised over $43,000 for the Canandaigua VA Medical Center.

The Brew Fest features specialty tastings from a variety of local craft breweries, cideries and distilleries, along with various raffles and silent auctions of merchandise, themed baskets, gift cards and gift certificates.

The event will take place from 5 until 9 p.m. at Saint Pius X Parish Center, 3010 Chili Avenue, Rochester. Admission tickets are $40 per person which includes the tasting and hearty snacks. The event is open to the public.

Donations of raffle or silent auction items are greatly appreciated, and the donating party will be acknowledged to patrons in the promotional program/ad book for this event.

For information and tickets, go to https://bit.ly/3pVbASB.

Provided information and photo

Willie Bee Foundation hosting Golf Tournament

The Willie Bee Foundation is hosting its third annual Charity Golf Tournament at Locust Hill Country Club on Monday, July 24, 2023. The foundation has hosted three sold out tournaments in the last two years. This is its largest fundraiser of the year and provides it with the funds it pulls from all year long to support local families whose children have life-threatening illness.

Registration is $200 per person, $800 per foursome, and includes: cart and greens fees, 18 holes of golf, lunch and dinner, beverages on the course, prizes and more. Check in will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. with lunch being served beginning at 11:30 a.m. The tournament has a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Interested participants can email info@thewilliebeefoundation.org to request a registration form.

Clay and Christine Beeman founded the Willie Bee Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization, in August of 2017 in memory of their son William Lou Donavon Beeman.

Since 2017, the foundation has expanded to not only helping ease families’ burdens (lawn mowing services, snow plowing contracts, house cleaning, catered meals, help covering expenses associated with traveling for medical care, ipad packages, grocery store gift cards, etc.), but also helping families make memories (Great Wolf Lodge, Jellystone Campground, local cottages, Dave and Busters, etc.). And as of 2023, it began a program titled Will’s Work that allows the foundation to support families whose children are nearing the end-of-life with pediatric palliative care services.

Provided information

Brew Fest for the Vets features specialty tastings, snacks, raffles and silent auctions.

My Hometown Neighbors

LilyFire Farms Gives Families

by Colleen Onuffer

For those looking to learn about life on the farm, LilyFire Farms has added a lineup of farm classes to its already popular farm school and other community opportunities.

Roxanne and Eric LaManna started LilyFire Farms on Humphrey Road in Chili in the fall of 2021.

“We dreamed of having a little haven where we could grow our own food, be as self-sufficient as possible, and have the opportunity to really align our life with nature as much as we could,” said Roxanne LaManna, owner and farmer of LilyFire Farms. “It became apparent very quickly that there was a need for us to raise foods not only for ourselves but for our community as well. We had so many people who started asking us, even while our first chickens were still just chicks, to sell them eggs and meat as soon as we could! Because of those frequent requests, we made the shift to raising more to sell to the community.”

Following organic principles as much as they are able, LilyFire Farm offers pasture-raised eggs, pork and poultry, specifically whole chicken and holiday turkey.

“It has always been our mindset that ‘you get the best and we get the rest’ because if it isn’t good enough for our own family’s table, we won’t expect you to put it on your table either,” said LaManna.

In addition to their farm-fresh products, LilyFire Farms offers hands-on experiences.

“We have what I’d call community opportunities — farm school and farm classes for kids (but any age can come learn too!), field trips, goat yoga, and hatching egg kit rentals,” said LaManna. The four-week hatching egg rental program includes 10 eggs, an incubator, brooder equipment and starter feed, as well as education and assistance from the farm. A week after the chicks have hatched, the kit and chicks get returned to LilyFire. “We are also working to have a truly locally-sourced, nearly-edible goat milk soap line available later this year.”

This is the second year LilyFire is running farm school, a sixweek series spread over seven weeks where kids (and parents!) can get an inside look into farms.

“The idea for farm school started from the fact that I home-

school our kids. I follow something of an ‘unschooling’ approach and there is more than enough to learn from farm life that fits under the umbrella of academics,” explained LaManna. “When I started noticing a number of homeschoolers posting on social media that they needed an idea for a hands-on science program, I realized that what my kids were learning would make for a really unique and enjoyable science-focused educational offering for other kids.”

Farm school’s spring session began in May. Due to its popularity, LilyFire is planning a second round of classes that would run in July and August and perhaps a fall session as well.

“The goal of farm school is to give kids the high-level understanding of the many facets of what it takes to run a farm, but also to leave the classes with an idea of how to ‘farm where they are,’” said LaManna.

Classes are open to all ages, with elementary and middle school kids making up the most prevalent age groups. Participants learn how to grow a garden, how to attract and care for pollinators, how to compost, and learn about the biology of farm animals. Older kids also learn about the economics and business of farming.

New this year, LilyFire Farms is offering standalone farm classes for those who can’t commit to the seven-week course. Sessions are 60 to 90 minutes, ideal for ages eight to 18, and held on the second Saturday of the month from now through September. Classes will cover the bigger points of farming, allowing families to pick-and-choose sessions based on their interests.

“They’ll get a crash course in growing their own produce in one class, have a better understanding about livestock, livestock products, and raising methods, and in one session they’ll have the opportunity to talk to an actual farm vet for those interested in a career working with animals!” exclaimed LaManna.

When asked what kids enjoyed the most about last year’s farm school, LaManna said, “I think I’ve seen the most smiles when they get to go in with the pigs or get to try their hand at milking a goat! The opportunities that they’re unlikely to ever get elsewhere without visiting or owning a small farm are the ones that

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LaManna Family

My Hometown Neighbors

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stick with them.”

She personally agrees with the kids. While a lot of blood, sweat and tears go into owning and running a farm, spending time with the livestock is her favorite part of the day.

“Learning that pigs enjoy drinking right from the hose or like to play tug of war, recognizing that your goat is asking you for a hug and a snuggle, or simply enjoying antics of some ducks when they find even a postage stamp sized puddle! This combined with feeling like we live aligned with the seasons is something that is somewhat magical,” she said.

While cuddling cute animals is part of the job, there’s much more to farming than the picture-worthy moments.

“Farming is a soul-deep passion for those of us that do it. It’s a weight to carry at times, when a crop fails or an animal dies for

some reason – loss due to predators, a newborn simply fails to thrive, or even when eggs don’t hatch. We carry a lot more than people realize, in silence,” she explained.

It’s all worth it, though, to be able to share what they do with others, allowing consumers to make informed decisions about what they buy and eat.

“We love it when you ask us to tell you about our farms. We love it when you get as excited as we do about pork for sale, or what we’ll offer next. And we especially love it when you go out of your way to source your family’s nourishment from local farms – not because we get paid, but because it’s your way of saying ‘we see you’ and ‘we appreciate what you do.’ And that means a lot more to farmers than people realize,” said LaManna.

LilyFire Farms is located at 50 Humphrey Road, Chili, New York 14546.