Greece News September/October 2022

The Ridge Road Fire District receives the Seven Seals Award

The Ridge Road Fire District, Greece, New York, has been awarded The Seven Seals Award from the Employer Support of Guard and Reserve (ESGR) for the district’s continued support of their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

The Seven Seals Award is presented in recognition of a significant individual or organizational achievement, initiative, or support that promotes and supports the Employer Support of The Guard and Reserve (ESGR) mission, including the efforts of the more than 3,600 volunteers who carry out ESGR’s mission across the Nation on a daily basis.

The Ridge Road Fire District has a long history of supporting their members as they protect and serve our Nation while on deployments. Ridge Road Fire District is committed to their veterans and current personnel serving our country in the military.

Fire Chief Steven Johnson received the award, on behalf of the district, at the Rochester Region ESGR employer briefing.

Provided Information and Photo

Greece News

Lori Antonelli ext. 133 Rachael Blair ext. 139 Debbie Day ext. 131 Tami Raco ext. 129 Ben Albert 585-851-8092 Christine Anello 585-503-7224

Mary Lou Rockow ext. 134 Ellen Stevens ext. 130

August/September Tuesday, October 11, 2022 ext. 126 or 128 Caspersson, Karen Fien, Joanne Michielsen & Suzette Coleman

AireServ

BC

Brodner

Advertiser

Christie Carpets

D. Ras

D’Angelo’s Plumbing,

Dominic Agostini,

EZ Tree

Foundations

Green Acre

Hilton Apple

Hilton

Home

JD

Jim’s

Lena

Medicare

Mike

Oakes

OFC

RE/MAX

Russo’s

Tree

United

White

Zarpentine 585-352-3411 585-352-4811

PARKING INFORMATION:

Festival parking is available at Hilton High School, 400 East Avenue.

Free shuttle service to the Apple Fest Grounds is available 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Handicap Access parking and shuttle are also available at the high school, free of charge. If walking, the Apple Fest Grounds are located at 59 Henry St.

There is ABSOLUTELY NO PARKING OR DROP-OFF at the Apple Fest grounds, or adjacent village streets. Violators will be towed at vehicle owner’s expense.

AuTO ShOw

At Village Elementary School

The 2022 Apple Fest Auto Show will take place Saturday, October 1st at the Village Elementary School. We will be highlighting our Stock and Modified Truck Classes. Gates open at 8am, awards at 4pm. Preregister by 9/23 online at www.hiltonapplefestautoshow.org or by mail for $15. Registration day of show is $20. (CASH ONLY). Craft Vendors

Feeding Neighbors

by Barbara Burke

During their 35th Annual Com munity Awards ceremony, The Greece Regional Chamber of Com merce presented the Thomas E. Schommer Spirit of the Chamber Award to Amy Peritsky, in recogni tion of her service to the Greece Ecumenical Food Shelf and Cloth ing Closet (GEFS&CC).

“This year, at its 35th Annual Community Awards sponsored by M&T Bank, the Greece Regional Chamber of Commerce bestowed seven awards to 10 honorees, including Amy Peritsky, the re cipient of the 2022 Thomas E. Schommer Spirit of the Chamber Award. Thomas Schommer was pivotal to the founding of the Greece Chamber of Commerce over 35 years ago. His vision and determination galvanized others and, through the creation of the Chamber, made a lasting and significant impact on the town of Greece and the greater Rochester region. The Thomas E. Schommer Award is given to an organization or individual who exemplifies community service and community impact. We feel that Amy Peritsky is very deserving of this award. The longtime leader of Greece Ecumenical Food Shelf, she has given tirelessly of herself to those in need in our community over many years, leading the many volunteers at the Food Shelf with modesty and humility. She has made, and continues to make, an enor mous difference – every day. The Greece Regional Chamber of Commerce, is honored to recognize Amy Peritsky with the 2022 Thomas E. Schommer Spirit of the Chamber Award,” said Greece Regional Chamber President/CEO Sarah Lentini.

“I am very honored to be recognized by the Chamber with this award. It was quite a surprise when Sarah (Lentini) called me with the news,” Amy said. Amy began her service with GEFS&CC in 2000, volunteering with the Greece Clothing Closet. In 2016 she became a GEFS&CC Board Member, and since 2017, she has served as the Board Chairperson. Amy is responsible for the ad ministration of board meetings, preparing agendas and oversee ing the many responsibilities of GEFS&CC.

Amy’s service is not limited to her administrative duties, she also participates in the day-to-day activities at the food shelf. She volunteers on Mondays and Fridays taking in donations, monitors the email and phone lines, and updates the GEFS&CC Facebook page, among many other duties. Amy says monitoring the phone lines gives her perspective on the great need for food within the community. “Just recently I spoke with grandparents that were given custody of their grandchildren. They were very apologetic, they had never requested aid before, and found that they just couldn’t make ends meet. They needed help feeding their grandchildren. We also received a call from a Ukrainian refugee that was in desperate need of help for her family. We provide emergency food and clothing on a temporary basis, we also help people with connecting to additional aid, through oth er organizations within the community.”

The GEFS&CC is currently experiencing a surge in the need for food. “We are now serving as many people as we were dur ing the height of COVID, in December 2020. With the high cost of food, many people are finding difficulty in meeting monthly bills. Our shelves are very low,” Amy said. Food donations are ac cepted Mondays 9-11AM, Tuesdays 11AM-Noon, Wednesdays 5-

6PM and Saturdays 10-11AM. They are also accepting donations of fresh fruits and vegetables from home gardens. GEFS&CC is located at 500 Maiden Lane, Greece.

GEFS&CC works with FoodLink, and relies on the generosity of the Greece community to keep their shelves stocked. “Our Greece community is extremely generous. Many organizations hold food drives within their group to help keep our shelves stocked. Recently Lakeview Community Church provided us with 1,668 jars of pasta sauce as part of their August Challenge. For us, that is several months worth of sauce. Many of the area churches are very generous,” she said.

Amy keeps the GEFS&CC’s Facebook page updated with news, and the most urgent needs of food items to keep the shelves stocked, and the community fed. Currently they are in need of Chunky soup, canned fruits, of all kinds, canned chili and mashed potato flakes, regular size portions. Visit www.facebook.com/ greecefoodshelf for more information.

GEFS&CC has 100 volunteers, with about 25 volunteers that are most active. There are many volunteer opportunities avail able for those who would like to help. Opportunities include phone screenings and call backs, stocking shelves, packing box es, and delivering groceries.

Individuals can help by organizing and collecting food through small food drives within their neighborhood, school, and family. It is popular right now for people to indicate that, in lieu of gifts, donations can be sent to the GEFS&CC. Gifts can also be made in memory of a loved one.

The GEFS&CC’s Thanksgiving Baskets program is underway. Again this year, as in the past two years, gift cards to ALDI will be provided to families to purchase their own food for their Thanks giving Dinner. “We found that this method works well for our clients. What is considered traditional Thanksgiving Dinner food varies from family to family. This way, a family can choose their own food, according to their traditions,” Amy said.

All monetary gifts can be sent to GEFS&CC, 500 Maiden Lane, Greece, New York 14616. Indicate on the envelope if you would like the money to go to a specific need.

GEFS&CC is a community supported emergency food pantry and clothing closet serving residents of Greece and Charlotte. They are a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit agency and an equal opportu nity provider. If you are in need of food assistance, call 585-6839674, a GEFS&CC representative will call you back to discuss your food

Forrequirements.moreinformation on GEFS&CC visit www.facebook.com/ greecefoodshelf

Amy Peritsky

Volunteers packing boxes of food for the community. Photos by Karen Fien

Olmsted’s Genesee Valley Park

by Barbara Burke

Located along the eastern bank of the Genesee River within the City of Rochester, Genesee Valley Park was designed by re vered landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.

When hired by the Rochester Parks Commission, Olmsted ad vised the Commission to purchase land for parks that will take advantage of the natural beauty of the Genesee River, the abun dant waterways and the peaceful rolling hills, all part of the vis tas that make up the City of Rochester, and the Genesee Valley ParkGeneseelandscape.Valley

Park is one of the oldest parks in Rochester, consisting of 800 acres with three intersecting waterways, Red Creek, the Genesee River and the Erie Canal. Olmsted’s design plans, based on public parks he visited in England, focus on the idea that a park belongs to all people and should be a place for relaxation, rumination, rest and restoration.

Olmsted utilized every aspect of park space, engaging pictur esque surroundings as elements for healing and restorative ex periences for the viewer, factors he believed nature provided. His design for the park included a Sheep’s Meadow, employing rolling hills, expansive spaces, and a herd of 80 grazing sheep that kept the grasses trimmed. The original Sheep’s Meadow is now a golf Geneseecourse.Valley Park was designed by Olmsted with miles of pathways meandering along the Genesee River with curves and trails that take advantage of the play of light and shadows along the way. There are also four foot bridges crossing the Genesee River and Erie Canal. Along with the mental health that parks provide, the physical health needs are met with the ability walk around in these scenic, wide open spaces.

Today, Genesee Valley Park provides opportunities for many recreational activities including softball, biking, bird watching, cricket, fishing, golf, hiking, kayaking and many multi-use athletic fields.

Genesee Valley Park - Home of the Genesee Rowing Club (GRC)

Located in Genesee Valley Park, at 1 Hawthorne Drive, the Genesee Rowing Club calls the park home. The Mission of the Rowing Club is, “Serving Rochester in all ways rowing. From be ginner to elite, the Genesee Rowing Club is committed to bring ing our community together through the sport of rowing.”

continued on page 14

GRC crew coach, Liana Spencer, says rowing is a sport that has no age limit, “We have rowers of all ages, our youngest is 22 and our oldest is 81. We really have a place for anyone, over the age of 18, who wants to experience rowing.”

Genesee Valley Park provides the perfect setting to explore the waterways by boat. “It is wonderful to be out in nature. The river and canal provide great options to experience all the views and beautiful hills along the way. It is so spacious and majestic, the scenery contributes to the rowing experience. We are very fortunate to be able to explore our city through the rowing club,” Coach Spencer said.

Greece resident Kelley Stoll has been a member of GRC for 10 years, she has been rowing competitively for 14 years. She joined GRC because, “GRC is the largest, most competitive rowing crew in the Rochester area. I like rowing with a team, it provides moti vation and accountability and a coach who sets the standards. As a team you work together. We have to be in lock synchronization in order to be effective and powerful. It doesn’t come easy. I am still learning something new every week.”

Stoll says the environment that the Genesee River and Gen esee Valley Park provides is considered one of the finest in the nation. “We have two rowing venues to choose from, the river and the canal, and they both have low boat traffic. Rowing south you experience the most beautiful sights with wildlife including deer, beaver, blue heron and turtles. This year we even have an eagle’s nest that we have been observing. The ever changing col ors of the foliage all around are beautiful. We are out on the water from late March through October, and every day looks dif ferent.”Arowing

trip on the river going north travels into the City of Rochester and provides a look into city life and beautiful cityscapes.Formore information on the Genesee Rowing Club and their upcoming Head of the Genesee Regatta on October 8th and 9th, visit www.geneseerowingclub.com

Kelley Stoll, (front) with her competitive rowing team, on the river in Genesee Valley Park, home to the Genesee Rowing Club.