fundraisers

Press release:

This year has brought many changes to everyone during the coronavirus pandemic. One thing that has changed, is how we can safely raise funds. St. Paul Lutheran School has three upcoming fundraisers to help support our school, located on 31 Washington Ave. in Batavia.

And we are currently taking registrations for the 2021-2022 academic year for preschoolers age 3 and 4 and students through the grade six.

Join Us For These Events

• Sponsored Dinner at Batavia's Original -- Wednesday, April 21, from 4-9 p.m. All dine-in, take-out and delivered orders will benefit the school with a percentage of the sales that will benefit our Tuition Assistance account.
• Hanging Basket Vouchers -- Order a voucher from our school for $22 and then go shop at a Delre's Greenhouse for your selection of color and flower of your choice. Vouchers are good from May 15 through May 28. Proceeds to benefit our school.
• Scrap Metal Drive -- Saturday, May 1, from 8 a.m. to noon at 31 Washington Ave., Batavia. We can accept: kitchen appliances, washing machines, dryers, lawn mowers, wheelbarrows, hot water tanks, bicycles, metal fencing and posts, gas grills, automobile batteries and boat batteries. Proceeds to benefit our school. We CANNOT accept: televisions, microwave ovens, propane tanks, rechargeable batteries, food containers.

For more information on any of these events, please call (585) 343-0488. Thank you kindly.

Press release from the Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation:

Two “Outstanding Italian-Americans” will be honored at the Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation's Fall Fundraiser on Oct. 5 at Terry Hills -- Florence Condidorio and Joseph Teresi Jr.

Tickets are available at Ben’s Appliance, V J Gautieri & Sons Construction or from any board member. Guests will be served a fabulous “Italian Plate.” This is the foundation’s only fundraiser and all proceeds go to our scholarship program.

Please come out and enjoy a wonderful evening and celebrate the contributions Italian-Americans have made right here in Genesee County. October is National Italian-American Heritage Month!

Any questions and for reserved seating contact Michele Fuller (585) 768-7016.

Florence Condidorio

Florence Condidorio was born in Batavia to Salvatore and Mary Kay DiSalvo. Her grandparents hailed from Roccanova, Potenza Province in Italy. At just 5 years old, she was diagnosed with polio and spent six months at the Rehabilitation Hospital in Ithaca, where she learned to walk again. Her struggle was the impetus which fostered her desire to live helping others.

She married Joseph Condidorio at St. Anthony’s Church in 1953. They are the proud parents of 10 children, 23 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. That doesn’t include all the in-laws either! Despite their size they are a very close family, which they credit to their Italian roots. A past member of St. Joseph’s Church in Le Roy and a devout Catholic, the clergy affectionately recalls them attending mass, the children meticulously groomed, and taking up several pews.

Successful due to her determination and inner strength, NYS certified, Florence opened a day-care center in her home in 1959. She nurtured up to 20 children a day to help supplement their income. After nearly 15 years she decided to go to college. She graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a degree in Education. In 1982 received her master’s in science from Brockport and in 1986 a School Administration/ Supervision certificate.

Fresh out of college she was hired by the NYS School for the Blind where she left her mark on the world. She was instrumental in developing a program sending the students home on weekends to be with family and often took home kids that had nowhere to go. Her philosophy being, “There is always room for one more at the table and in our hearts.” She was a key factor in developing the Sensory Park initiative and worked closely with the architects and the Lions Club, which were large contributors. Her commitment and work ethic were exemplary.

Florence still made time to be involved both at school and community. For years she and Joe made their Italian sauce for the spaghetti suppers, was treasurer for HFS PTA, Lioness Club member, foreign exchange student host, chairwoman for Heart Assoc. Drive, and VP for Independent Center for Living.

Her faith in God has never wavered in spite of her life’s challenges. She has touched and made so many lives in Genesee County (especially children) better that it was clear she is an “Outstanding Italian-American.”

Joseph Teresi Jr.

Joseph Teresi Jr. is the son of Joseph A. Sr. and Josephine Zito Teresi. His four grandparents were from Valledoma, Palermo, Messina and Corleone, Sicily. So we think it is an honest assessment in concluding he is 100-percent Italian!

Joe is very proud of his Italian heritage and exemplifies the best qualities of growing up an Italian-American. A lifelong Batavian, he graduated from Notre Dame High School and went on to graduate from Canisius College in 1985. A very devout Catholic, he was a former member of St. Anthony’s Church and its Holy Name Society. Currently, he and his family are members of Padre Pio Parish.

Joe and his wife, Mary Beth, have three sons, Joseph lll (Beverly), Michael and Paul. Both Joseph and Beverly are currently serving active duty with the Air Force. He has a beautiful granddaughter, Emma, and another due in October. His sister Dr. Gina Teresi (Scott Spears) had a practice in Batavia for many years. Joe is all about family and they are definitely his top priority.

Joe is a vice president for Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc. Although his career is very demanding, he is a firm believer in giving back and being involved with your community. Over the years he has volunteered in coaching at Notre Dame High School, Batavia Minor League, Youth Football, GASA, St. Anthony’s Basketball and the YMCA Challenger.

His commitment to service doesn’t end there. Joe has given his time and talents to serve on the boards of Regional Action Phone, NDHS Foundation, Batavia Youth Football, Glow YMCA, Challenger Sports, Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and the Notre Dame Board of Trustees.

His very impressive resume, pride in his heritage and love for his family and community made him the perfect candidate for the foundation's “Outstanding Italian-American Award.”

Mike Gringer, of Spencerport, hits his tee shot on hole #1 at Terry Hills this afternoon during the Ricky Palermo's Spinal Injury Research Golf & Dinner Extravaganza.

Ricky Palermo

Gavin Prout, Richard Furlong and Gee Nash with Palermo.

On New Year's Day, 26 lucky young ladies will ring in the new year in the Outback -- that is, in the stadium at the Outback Bowl half-time show in Tampa, Florida.

All 26 girls, ages 8 to 18, are students at Suzanne's School of Dance at 33 Center St. in Batavia. Most are from Genesee County, though there are a couple from Monroe County as well.

Sponsored by Outback Steakhouse and always held on January 1, the Outback Bowl is an annual, nationally broadcast college football game featuring teams from the Southeastern and Big Ten Conferences. The 26 dancers from Suzanne's will be representing Genesee County and Western New York in a performance featuring around 500 youth from all over the United States.

If this is an exciting opportunity, it is also going to be a test of skill and focus. The girls will spend a week in Tampa leading up to the big game, and their schedule will be packed with daily rehearsals to coordinate their choreography with the other 500 dancers.

Each participant faces a cost of about $1,300 for room and board, so the group is asking individuals and businesses in Genesee County to help offset the expense. Various fundraisers will take place over the next several months, and private donations are welcome as well.

According to Jennifer Vislay, the mother of one of the participants, the girls were selected as a result of an audition video that they wanted to do as a group rather than individually.

"They do everything as a team," Vislay said. "The older girls help the younger girls...it's just a very team-oriented project."

The first fundraiser will be a chicken barbeque this Sunday. It it set to start at 11 a.m. in the parking lot across the street from the studio, and will continue until sold out. A bake sale, basket raffle and 50/50 raffle will be included.

For more information, call Vislay at 737-5314.

The 26 dancers are, in alphabetical order by first name, Alexis Vasciannie, Allison Kropf, Alynn Franclemont, Amber Fitzsimmons, Ashley Johnson, Ashlyn Puccio, Aubrey Puccio, Cianna Kusmierski, Elizabeth Barcomb, Ella Bridges, Emilee Schroeder, Emily Thompson, Emily Verdaasdonk, Emma Richardson, Gyna Gibson, Haley Sweet, Kali Markek, Katie Raziano, Kendall Senko, Lily Senko, Maddie Phillips, Megan Currier, Micheala Misiti, Mikey Lullo, Mollie Heale, Rylei Odessa and Sarah Whitehead.

Photo taken by Jennifer Vislay

Boy Scout Troop 6069 will hold its first chicken BBQ from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. (Cub Scout Pack 6069 has held a couple in the recent past, but this is a first for the whole troop).

The money raised will help pay for future scout outings as well as new camping equipment. Event organizer and Boy Scout dad Steve Ognibene said that depending on how successful the chicken BBQ is, they may make it an annual thing.

Dinners are take-out only and include half a chicken, salt potatoes, green beans, a dinner roll and butter. Tickets are $9 and can be purchased at the event -- which is at Clor's Meat Market, at 4169 W. Main St. Road in Batavia -- or in advance. Call Ognibene at 409-8358 or Lorelei Roll at 300-9500 for pre-sale tickets.

Free delivery is available to local senior living communities.

Photo taken by Steve Ognibene. Pictured are Jon Slezak, Ethan Gaylord, Andrew Freeman, Jon Totten and Thomas Ognibene. (There are 14 boys in the troop, but only these five were able to make it for the picture.)

Daisy Girl Scouts Alyssa Ognibene, Lidia Pehrson, Brooklynn Pariso, Arianna Armstrong and Kelsey Verton (front, left to right) were on Thomas Avenue in the city today along with troupe co-leader Tara Pariso (back).

They were collecting cans to raise money for Brooklyn Sputore, a baby girl who suffers from a life-threatening condition called Vein of Galen Brain Malformation. Click on the following link for previous coverage: www.thebatavian.com/tags/brooklyn-sputore

Tara attends Northgate Free Methodist Church along with the Sputore family. She wanted to do something to help Brooklyn while at the same time giving the Daisies a community service project.

As of noon today, the girls had been to 25 houses in Batavia and collected more than 2,000 cans and bottles. They will present their proceeds to the family tomorrow at a fundraiser for Brooklyn, which will take place at St. Joseph's School, 2 Summit St. in Batavia and include a spaghetti dinner, Chinese auction and other raffles.

Pre-sale tickets to tomorrow's fundraiser can be purchased from Paul Sputore, 781-8138, or at the door. Cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children 12 and younger. But you might want to hurry, because there are less than 50 tickets left.

For more information on Brooklyn and the fundraiser, please visit the family's Facebook page via the following link: www.facebook.com/pages/Brooklyn-Grace-Sputore/122679241137680?sk=info#!/pages/Brooklyn-Grace-Sputore/122679241137680?sk=wall

Students at Le Roy's Wolcott St. School spent the last two weeks raising money for those less fortunate. They did this as part of the Pennies for Peace campaign, a program of the Central Asia Institute.

It is designed to raise funds for community-based education and literacy programs -- esepcially for girls -- in remote, Central Asian mountain communities.

The grand total raised by Wolcott St. School -- calculated with the help of the Bank of Castile -- was $1,600. Here is a grade-by-grade count:

Pre K -- $52
K -- $149
Grade 1 -- $183
Grade 2 -- $210
Grade 3 -- $157
Grade 4 -- $325
Grade 5 -- $275
Grade 6 -- $241

Kids collected and brought in pennies over a two-week period. Pictured above are the graphed results as of Friday morning (each jar represents $10 in pennies).

What is particularly impressive about this is that the students were not rewarded for the number of pennies they brought in. From the very beginning, there was an understanding that the class that collected the most pennies would not get a pizza party or anything like that.

"What we're looking to do is help the students become intrinsically motivated," said Principal Casey Kosiorek.

He said the overall goal as it pertained to the kids was to help them grow into good citizens who will want to do the right thing without being rewarded.

"I never expected it to have such an impact," said Carol Messura, assistant principal and chair of the project. She said that the students were "extremely enthusiastic" about the whole deal.

"If you were here earlier this morning, you could hear little hoots and hollers with the sound of change being poured into the buckets (pictured at the top)."

Kosiorek said that the money will go toward supplies, teachers' salaries and the building of schools in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"They have pretty much nothing," he commented.

In a letter to parents, Kosiorek and Messura asked that the kids perform "an extra chore or two" in order "to make a meaningful connection to the money they bring in."

Each letter came with a pencil-shaped slip on which parents were to describe the chores their kids performed and (the kids') hopes for the children of Afghanistan and Pakistan. All "pencils" were returned to homeroom teachers and used in the display above.

"Pennies for Peace" was this year's service learning project for the students. The school does two projects every year: one in-school project, and one to benefit folks outside the school community.

This year's service project started when Cindy Frisch, the school librarian, read Greg Mortenson's "Listen to the Wind" to all of the students.

Mortenson, the founder of Pennies for Peace and author of The New York Times bestseller "Three Cups of Tea," wrote "Listen to the Wind" in order to relate his first building experience in Pakistan. At the end of the book, he talks about how far a penny can go in Pakistan/Afghanistan.

"(A penny) doesn't buy much in our community," Kosiorek and Messura said in their letter to parents. "However, in the villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan, a penny can buy a pencil, start an education, and transform a life." 

Examples of how much certain small amounts of money could buy for kids in those countries were included on this chart:

Kosiorek describes service learning as an "offshoot" of the school's Character Education Committee, of which Messura is the chair. It is part of an overall environment in which core values and qualities that will help make the students good citizens are nurtured.

"We want to make sure we're educating the whole child," Kosiorek said. "They're kind of desensitized (to certain things) because of the media and the 'age of rage' (reality TV, etc). If we teach them to be good citizens, the rest will follow."

Character education has been a big part of Wolcott St. School's mission for some time; in fact, they were recognized with an honorable mention by the Academy for Character Education at the Sage Colleges in January.

One of the major components of character education at Wolcott is "Words of the Month." Each month, teachers focus on a particular word describing a positive character trait (for example, the Word of the Month for March was honesty), and on how it is used in the classroom. Teachers keep an eye out for and nominate students who display that trait in class, and at the end of the month their names go under the "Good Character" tree near the school's entrance.

This is part of the school's "Catching Kids Being Good" policy.

And now, as Kosiorek and Messura said in their letter to parents, Wolcott students have joined "tens of thousands of students around the world . . . who are working together to become members of a global family dedicated to peace."

For more information on the Pennies for Peace program, visit their Web site: www.penniesforpeace.org.

The Statue of Liberty by Oatka Creek.

Via the Buffalo News:

The third annual Spring Gala, a major fundraiser for United Memorial Medical Center, will be held starting at 6:30 p. m. Saturday in the Hampton Inn’s Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center on Commerce Drive.

This is a black-tie event sponsored by the United Memorial Foundation, St. Jerome Foundation, the Jerome League and the UMMC League.

The Buffalo News item includes no information on cost or if tickets can still be purchased or where (we presume there are tickets that cost money -- they expect to raise $50,000).