Genesee County Park & Forest

The Fifth Annual Run for the Acorns was this morning at Genesee County Park & Forest.

Here are the results:

10K
Male overall winners:
1 -- Chad Minuto (Batavia) time: 41:11
2 -- Michael Emmons (LeRoy) time: 46:34

Age 30-39 winner: Stephen Konieczny
Age 40-49: James Caswell
50-59: John Cole
60-69: Daniel Miller

Female overall winners:
1 -- Lyndsey Macmillan (Rochester) time: 47:13
2 -- Jess Juliano (Hamburg) time: 50:16

Age 30-39 winner: Jaime Kelly
40-49: Heather Biondolillo
50-59: Karen Samis

5K
Male overall winners:
1 -- EJ Boyce (Bergen) time: 19:15
2 -- Kevin Sheehan (Victor) time: 20:36

Age 14 and under: Cooper Konieczny
Age 15-19: Adam Hess
20-29: Thomas Demmer
30-39: Dave Bateman
40-49: Gabe Abdella
50-59: David Demmer
60-69: Frank Gioia

Female overall winners:
1 -- Kimberly Mills ( Basom) time: 22:06
2 -- Alison  Zybczynski (Alden) time: 24:24

Age 14 and under: Ainsley Kent
15-19: Megan Smith
20-29: Kerry Mills
30-39: Amanda Hoy
40-49: Sheila Hess
50-59: Mary Ann Arnold
60-69: Denise Macpherson

For more photos: http://steveognibenephotography.zenfolio.com/f354975482

5K race and walk start pictured above.

Press release:

Grab a friend for some great exercise, fun and free stuff!

This race is part of the United Way of Genesee County race series, which is sponsored by LaCivita Enterprises.

Race signup includes coupons and special offers from local businesses and restaurants! This year's race will feature the first-ever Kids Fun Run! Free to youth 10 and under. Must register on race day. Age-appropriate categories and distances. Run is on a grassy playing field. Everyone is a “winner”! This 5K/10K trail run and walk is designed for people of all ages and activity levels.

Walk or run on single and double track trails through the forest, along a creek and up and down rolling hills in the Genesee County Park & Forest, with an estimated 100 feet of climb in the 10K loop. Trails are very wide and easy to negotiate (minimal rocks and roots). The course starts on asphalt and then leads into the woods for a truly beautiful run and walk through the countryside. Enjoy post-race snacks and drinks as you congratulate your fellow participants!

East Bethany – The 5th Anniversary Run for the ACORNS is Sunday, Oct. 1st, at Genesee County Park & Forest and promises to be the best event yet!

Run for the ACORNS and surround yourself in the beauty of the forest in October on trails through the woods, along with the headwaters of Black Creek and over rolling hills.

All proceeds benefit the ACORNS, the nonprofit organization that supports the Genesee County parks with a mission to enhance the visitor experience and foster environmental stewardship and education.

Awards prizes will be given to the top overall male and female running finishers in each race. Awards will also be given to the top male and female running finishers in each age group.

Check-in begins at 8 a.m. The 10k run begins at 9 a.m; the 5K run/walk begins at 9:15 a.m. Kids Fun Run begins about 10:30 a.m.

Registration is required! The fee is $25 before Sept. 27th; $30 late registration. Those who registered before Sept. 17th will get your long-sleeved race tech shirt! Special 5th-year-anniversary shirts to participants registered for this and all other previous Run for the ACORNS races!

 Register online  or at check-in on the day of the race. Enjoy the morning in the forest and run for the ACORNS – You’re “NUTS” if you don’t! See you there! For more information visit our website or call 585- 344-1122. 

Photo: File photo by Howard Owens.

Come explore the active and adventurous sport of Orienteering! Learn how to find your way without batteries or a cell phone signal, by using a map and compass.

All materials provided, no experience needed.

Orienteering is a family friendly sport for people of all ages and ability levels. Join us at the Genesee County Park & Forest for the Orienteering Event with the Rochester Orienteering Club from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Saturday Sept. 30th.

This program is FREE!

Beginner class and basic training will be given from 9 to 10 a.m. Orienteering start is open 10 a.m. to noon. All courses close at 3 p.m.

Please preregister by calling 585-344-1122.

Perfect for individuals and families who love the outdoors. Come have some fun and find your way in New York State’s first County Forest.

More information on the sport of orienteering and the Rochester Orienteering Club can be found at http://roc.us.orienteering.org or https://orienteeringusa.org. 

Press release:

Monarch Butterflies -- "Masters of Migration" -- travel through New York during the month of September!

Seize the last few days of summer with a visit to a butterfly meadow and a journey into their world! Join us for "Watching Monarchs" from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9th, at Genesee County Park & Forest.

Take part in a nationwide Monarch conservation project, see how they are tagged and released, and meet these masters of migration up close and personal Learn all about their fascinating lives and discover what you can do to help them out!

Price is $5/person, $10/family. Space is limited, preregistration is required! Call 585-344-1122 to register.

GC Park & Forest is located at 11095 Bethany Center Road in East Bethany.

For more information visit their website here or contact Shannon Morley at Shannon.Morley@co.genesee.ny.us or (585) 344-1122.

Photos and story by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.

Boardwalks and bridges in the Genesee County Park. If you visit the park during any season you have used one or both.

“There are people from all over the world that come to the this little park and say how neat, clean and nice this park is,” says Jared Radesi, Camp Hard Hat director and Building Trades teacher.

“Attribute some of that to the kids that get together every summer for one week here to build a new bridge and help keep the park alive.

The BEA(Business Education Alliance) has partnered with the Genesee Valley Educational  Partnership to offer Camp Hard Hat at the Genesee County Park.

“It’s an educational learning experience for the kids and everything is to code,” says Paul Osborn, Genesee County Parks supervisor.

This is the fourth year for the Camp Hard Hat Program and it has been growing. This year there are 20 kids involved, seventh- through ninth-graders, from area schools.

Osborn says this year there are two projects being worked on.

A 100-foot boardwalk with a 24-foot bridge and a 16-foot bridge near Area D on the Conservation trail.

For the last three years the program has been using recycled guard rail systems and trusses from the Batavia Downs roof system that was dismantled. The lumber was purchased through a grant.

“We want to show them that there are options out there other than a college education,” says Radesi.

“Apprenticeships are something this country was built on and they are a free way to get an education.”

Radesi said there is a skills gap right now and the whole industry is hurting for employees and leaders.

“There is high demand for skilled laborers and this group of kids can make a lot of money in the next 10 years.”

On Wednesday, the Hard Hat crew was working on the boardwalk.

Isabela Braun, of Le Roy, and Emma Osborn, of Oakfield, are both freshman and in their second year of being involved with the weeklong camp.

“I get new skills that I will be able to use for the rest of my life and I will be able to get a job without having to go to college and get all that debt,” says Braun.

“I feel proud cause you will see it there for a long time.”

Emma Osborn says having the experience from last year helps the new kids involved in the project this year.

“They know we know what we are doing and we can help build the mindset of others,” says Emma Osborn.

“It feels like you are bringing something else here that needs to be done.”

At the end of the project, a sign will be erected that lists all the kid’s names who were involved in the project along with the major sponsor’s names.

“They will be able to bring their parents, their grandparents, then as they get older, their kids to see their work.”

Park Supervisor Paul Osborn says he is not sure what next year’s project will be, but it may include some plumbing and electrical work and a mock wall.

“This is a great program for the park and it allows us to connect with the community and with the kids, a lot of these kids would never come out here,” says Paul Osborn.

To check out the camps offered for next year visit http://beagenesee.com/

Pictured, from left: Daisy Klein, Lee Johnson, Barbara Easton, George Squires, George Wood, Jennifer Wood and Sharon McWethy.

Submitted photos and press release:

Rainy weather didn’t stop friends and fellow volunteers from honoring Dennis Wood -- artist, professor, and longtime dedicated ACORNS Volunteer. Dennis was a very generous and good friend of the Genesee County Parks in many ways.

He gave his time by participating in ACORNS meetings and field trips, and attending many educational programs. Dennis donated some of his own collections to the Interpretive Nature Center and funded the purchase of children’s field binoculars for use during kids' programs at the park.

Dennis was a very talented artist, and he provided beautiful note-cards for the ACORNS to sell as a fundraiser. The cards feature some of his landscapes and wildlife paintings, and are available for purchase at the Interpretive Center. Dennis loved to share the joys of art as a professor at GCC, and taught a beginner drawing class to the ACORNS as a volunteer training day. Dennis was a delightful person to be around and is remembered for his quiet way of making people smile and laugh.

Following a motion for funding by the ACORNS and a donation from Dennis’s wife Jenny Wood, a fully functional artist’s easel has been created as a memorial to Dennis. The memorial will be placed in the ACORNS Outdoor Learning Center at Genesee County Park & Forest.

The memorial design was created by Paul Osborn, Parks Supervisor, and Kurt Schwab, Genesee County Highway sign maintenance mechanic, which was then laser cut by Oxbo International. Genesee County Highway welder Rob Barone adapted the donated easel to install the newly created art platform, which was then painted by DJ Desjardins in the paint shop. A collaborative effort indeed!

The Rembas family made a generous donation to the park to honor their father, John Rembas, and their mother, Clara Rembas. John Rembas is remembered by his family for loving the Genesee County Park & Forest very much, thus where the family chose as a donation site in his memory.

Discussions between the Rembas family and the ACORNS proceeded as planning for the ACORNS Outdoor Learning Center was underway. OLC plans included two bird feeding stations, so the ACORNS proposed funding them with the donations received in memory of John Rembas. The family was thrilled with the idea.

ACORNS member Jim Schmitt built two beautiful large platform feeders, and member George Squires designed and built the feeder stations. The bird feeding stations were completed, and the family responded with these kind words: "We cannot thank you - and all the volunteers enough for the time and effort put into this birdfeeder project. We hope it will serve to provide for the many birds, as well as provide enjoyment and learning for all. It is a wonderful tribute to our Mom and Dad."

Thanks to the generous donations in memory of John Rembas, the ACORNS Outdoor Learning Center was provided with two bird feeding stations, a collection of specialized bird feeders, and funding for bird food for the 2017 feeding season.

Once again, hundreds of runners and walkers turned out for the annual Run of the Acorns at Genesee County Park.

The event features 5K and 10K races and was sponsored this year for the first time by Alex's Place.

Proceeds benefit the county parks.

Genesee County Park & Forest is back at it with yet another awesome educational event.

Join the county park for Monarch Watching from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17th. Learn about the fascinating lives of Monarch Butterflies. Explore their world and find out what people are doing to help out!

$5/person, $10/family. Space is limited, pre-registration is required! Call 585-344-1122!

Five Fun Facts about Monarch Butterflies to prepare you for migrating season:

1. Monarch Butterflies migrate through our region in mid-September.

2. A monarch caterpillar can eat a whole milkweed leaf in under 4 minutes! Monarch caterpillars gain about 2,700 times their weight in two weeks.

3. Monarch butterflies smell with their antennae.

4. Monarch butterflies taste with their feet, using special receptors called tarsi.

5. Monarch butterflies ride updrafts of warm air to help complete their 3,000-mile migration at the end of each summer. Monarchs have been seen gliding at altitudes as high as 11,000 feet!

Visit www.VisitGeneseeNY.com to learn more...

Hear the stories behind summer’s celestial constellations and watch for fireballs in the sky far away from city lights. On Friday, Aug. 12th, Genesee County Park & Forest will host an amazing program called “Meteor Shower in the Meadow” from 9:30 to 11 p.m.

Cost of the event is $5 for individuals and $10 for a family. Pre-registration is requested by calling (585) 344-1122.

Attendees will learn about astronomy inside the park’s Interpretive Nature Center and then walk out to a forest meadow where they will watch nature’s fireworks. Feel free to bring a blanker or folding chair to enjoy the show.

The Perseid Meteor Shower is an annual event that occurs in late July and early August – with Aug. 11-12th being the height of the showers. There is speculation that the 2016 Perseids could be a peak year, with more than 200 meteors spotted an hour. The characteristics of a Perseid meteor are that it is fast and bright, often leaving a trail behind it.

“Meteor Shower in the Meadow” is a great example of the types of programming offered at Genesee County Park & Forest. The family-friendly events combine elements of education and experience – making it a fantastic opportunity for everyone. From snowshoe hikes in the winter to wading in ponds looking for signs of life in the summer, Genesee County Park & Forest is a wonderful place to explore and learn. For more information, visit the Park’s website and Facebook page.

Making the deck.

Directly supervised, precision cutting of boards.

All of the campers of the 2016 Camp Hard Hat, along with instructors.

Submitted photos and press release:

Fourteen rising eighth-, ninth- and 10th-graders are building a bridge this week at Genesee County Park & Forest.

They are using math, process thinking skills, battery power tools, directly supervised use of cutting tools, and using all necessary safety equipment and the power of teamwork to do this.

Camp Hard Hat is live and in action Aug. 1-5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Interpretive Nature Center at Genesee County Park & Forest in East Bethany.

In a partnership with Business Education Alliance of Genesee County, Business Education Alliance of Livingston County, Business Education Council of Wyoming County, and GVEP Building Trades, instructors Rich Monroe and Jared Radesi teach campers principles of design, construction and safety.

Campers will complete the bridge late Thursday morning. The newly finished bridge will be placed on the Wetland Trail in Genesee County Park & Forest on Thursday afternoon. Campers come from Erie, Wyoming, and Genesee counties.

We are informed that the phones are not working at the Genesee Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center. So if you want to attend tonight's program about bats, including a slideshow and guided nature tour afterward, please register via e-mail to: Shannon.Morley@co.genesee.ny.us

Or message the park people on Facebook, Genesee County Parks, Recreation & Forestry.

Either way, registration is required.

You will learn that bats are experts at staying warm -- they have a fur coat, keep a cozy home, and they love to cuddle!!

More than 200 runners and walkers were in County Park this morning for the annual Run for the ACORNS 5K and 10K races. Organizers were pleased with the Fall-perfect weather.