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The Orchard Park & East Aurora Sun /Saturday, January 03, 2015
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VOL 3 NO. 1
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East Aurora Fire, Police join Unyts’ holiday blood drive By Tim Fenster
ORCHARD PARK SUN EDITOR
East Aurora firefighters and police will be joining the Unyts Holiday Heroes campaign to help increase blood donations during a time of year when these life-savings donations generally drop. The East Aurora Police Department and Fire Department will be hosting a blood drive at the East Aurora Fire Hall, 585 Oakwood Ave., on Saturday, Jan. 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This marks just the second year of the Unyts Holiday Heroes campaign, and the first year of participation by East Aurora police and fire agencies. The fire company has long held an annual blood drive in conjunction with its annual open house, typically held in October. But when firefighters approached Unyts this year about the open house blood drive, they were instead offered the opportunity to take part in the Holiday Heroes campaign. East Aurora Fire Captain Thomas Ess said joining the campaign allowed them to partner with the police department, which he expects to double participation.
By Tim Fenster
Photo Submitted
Unyts held a drive at last year’s East Aurora Street Festival & Sidewalk Sale. The community has been very supportive of the organization. The two departments join 23 other agencies from across the region, including the Buffalo Police Department, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, state police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Buffalo and Lewiston, West Seneca’s Winchester Fire Company and others. “They’re both new to this program so we’re excited and grateful that they decided to join,” said Steve
Catalano, account executive for blood donor services. Typically, the holidays are a slow time for blood donations, as many would-be donors become absorbed in the holiday rush. But the need remains as large as ever, especially with the onset of winter and increased traveling contributing to accidents and illnesses. “It’s a critical time of
year for blood donations,” Ess said. Catalano points out that a single blood donation can save up to three lives. The campaign is also encouraging more people to sign up to become organ donors. A single organ donor can save up to 60 lives.
See Blood Page 5
Local toymaker Fisher-Price has donated a $500,000 scholarship to the Explore & More Children’s Museum’s $10 million Play It Forward campaign. The campaign aims to cover costs of the installation of The Tinkering Tank, a new larger facility planned for Canalside. “We’re obviously very thrilled with the gift,” said Explore & More spokesperson Jennifer Fee. “Fisher-Price has been a great partner since {the museum’s} inception.” The donation came as Explore & More is nearing the second year in their two-year drive to fundraise the new facility. With this latest gift, the campaign is coming up on $5 million raised thus far, Fee said. Other large donors have included the Community Foundation for a Greater Buffalo, the John R. Oishei Foundation and Wegmans supermarkets, which sponsored two exhibits with a combined value of more than $1 million. “We want to put a gold standard museum on Buffalo’s waterfront,” Fee said. The new facility will occupy 40,000 square feet inside a few waterfront building at the former Memorial Auditorium site in downtown Buffalo. The current facility, at 300 Gleed Ave. in East Aurora, is only about 6,000 square feet. Like the current facility, the Tinkering Tank area will feature large open rooms with several hands-on learning exhibits spread throughout. While the current facility serves about 50,000 people on site per year, the new facility is estimated to bring in more than 250,000 in its first year of operation, and about 200,000 annually in the years following. Fee called those estimates “conservative,” and said they had not factored in the tourism impact of the new HarborCenter on Buffalo’s waterfront. In addition to providing a new and exciting range of activities for children, the new Tinkering Tank is expected to bring a number of economic and educational benefits to the City of Buffalo.
See Donation Page 2
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Fisher-Price donates $500,000 to Explore & More Children’s Museum
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THE SUN
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ORCHARD PARK SUN EDITOR
Don Lorentz honored for under the radar public service What if one day we all woke up to a world devoid of generosity? It’s a concern that former Orchard Park High School marketing teacher Don Lorentz takes very seriously. As the 2014 OP Post of Fame Honoree, the 27th to be awarded as such, Lorentz is keenly aware of what’s required to keep traditions alive and well in our modern world. He’s made it a point throughout his career to live by example and help the up-and-coming generation understand the spirit of selflessness that allows a community to really flourish. “My biggest fear is that when my generation is gone, there’ll be nobody left to take up volunteerism,” Lorentz explained during a recent phone chat. “These are things above and beyond the call of duty, and I worry about who will make it their business to carry on traditions so they
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Past Orchard Park Post of Fame winner David Brodzik (right) bestows the award on this year’s winner, Don Lorentz. don’t disappear.” In addition to his teaching career, Lorentz has served on the OP Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for nearly two decades, holding every office at one
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS...................... SECT. A PAGE 2
EAHS LATIN PROGRAM ..........................SECT. SECT. A PAGES 5
FILM SCREENING ‘BERNIE’ ...................... SECT. A PAGE 3
SECT. A PAGES 5 ALL-WNY SOCCER HONORS ..................SECT.
OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
TRUSTEE JOE WALES ................................ SECT. A PAGE 4
SECT. A PAGE 7 – 8 SPORTS.................................................SECT.
SECT. A PAGES 4 SUPERVISOR PAT KEEM ..........................SECT.
CLASSIFIEDS .....................................SECT SECT A, PAGE 9 – 11
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POLICE BLOTTER ..................................... SECT. A PAGE 5
WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT ................ SECT A, PAGE 12
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