FREE! TAKE ONE! VOLUME 4 ISSUE 48
NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2015
The Official Newspaper
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of the Village of Ellicottville, the Town of Ellicottville, Ellicottville Central Schools and the Towns of East Otto, Great Valley and Mansfield, New York
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Welcome to Christmas in Ellicottville
Upcoming Events November 27 Christmas in Ellicottville begins
The day after Thanksgiving is the official start of the Christmas season all around the country. For many people, that means cramming into the mall or big box stores, standing in lines and watching people stress out over what color scarf to buy their second cousin once removed. If you’d rather start the season off with a gentler reminder of what the season really oughta feel like, there’s no better place to do that than in the Village of Ellicottville, where, with a little luck, there could even be some snow to enhance its picture-book charm. The fun begins Friday, Nov. 27 with events going on all day for the Gift of Lights, highlighted by the traditional lighting of the trees lining the village streets and the threestory tall Village Christmas tree at 6 p.m. at the 1887 building. All weekend long, you’ll be treated to old-school strolling carolers featuring the Ellicottville Sound Chorus. There will be horse-drawn wagon rides, breakfast and fire truck rides with Santa and loads of other interactive children’s activities. Plus, you and the kids will love visiting live reindeer at the 1887 building over the weekend. Of course, holiday shopping must get started and there’s nowhere else like Ellicottville’s shops, to find a bounty of unique gifts, one-of-a-kind fashion, snowsports essentials and gourmet treats that fit perfectly under every Christmas tree. Be sure to support these local entrepreneurs on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and throughout the holiday season. For the full schedule of the weekend’s events, see page 7.
November 28 Small Business Saturday Shop local in Ellicottville! December 3 Senior Citizen Dinner at ECS
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December 4 Irish Christmas
December 5 Tentative Opening Day Holiday Valley December 19 Demo Day Holiday Valley December 31 New Year’s Eve Party & Torchlight Parade Holiday Valley See Third in the East page 9
Discover the Dazzle of the Season Reindogs, Santa, Irish Cheer, Carolers, Skiing Await By Eva Potter
It’s about the spirit of the season, the camaraderie between friends on the slopes, the twinkle in a young child’s eyes when seeing Santa, dazzling holiday storefront displays, the sounds of Christmas carols along the sidewalks. Yes, it’s Christmastime in Ellicottville. Take the short drive to
Get Away From It All In the Heart of It All Book Your Stay at the BrickStone Suites By Alicia Dziak
Elegance and history meet comfort and convenience just steps from everything Ellicottville. Whether you’re in EVL to ski, shop, eat, dance, unplug or reconnect, why not
By Alicia Dziak
HoliMont’s Phoenix Adaptive Program, which teaches children and adults with special needs to have fun flying down the slopes, is getting ready for another
By Jann Wiswall
See ECS Sports Banquet page 4
See BrickStone Suites page 2
David Berghash Named Director
Scholar-Athletes Hamilton, Lapi, Zlockie Named ECS MVPs “You are learning the skills you need to be successful in life,” said ECS Athletic Director Karl Schwartz as he began the awards presentations to the Ellicottville/West Valley volleyball and soccer teams during the Sports Banquet held at ECS on Monday, Nov. 23. And, perhaps, the most important point he made was that more than half of Ellicottville’s varsity volleyball and soccer teams’ members are scholarathletes with grade point averages of 90 or above, and all three teams (volleyball, girls soccer and boys soccer) were named NYSPHSAA All Academic Teams. Of course, all three teams had pretty great seasons as well. Both soccer teams went to the sectionals championships and the boys soccer team went to farwest regionals. So it was no surprise to any of the hundreds of
treat yourself to a place to call your temporary home that’s close to it all at the all-new BrickStone Suites, located in the heart of the Village at Monroe and Washington Streets? The building at 26-28 Washington Street, which formerly housed DJs restaurant,
HoliMont’s Phoenix Program Readies for Season
See Dazzle of the Season page 7
Morgan Zlockie, Ellicottville’s firstever career 100+-goal scorer, was awarded her 100th goal ball, which was mounted on a pedestal and signed by her teammates.
December 5 Christmas Stroll & Living Nativity
See Phoenix Program page 9
Absentee Votes Decide County Clerk, EVL Supervisor Races Democrats Bernstein, McAndrew Win By Jann Wiswall
If you don’t think your vote counts, look no further than Ellicottville and Cattaraugus County for proof that it does. Following the general election on Nov. 3, a number of
races were too close to call and hinged on an official count of absentee ballots. In the County, the race for county clerk was too close to call after the general election. After completing the count of 763 absentee ballots on Wednesday, Nov. 18, the Board of Elections has See Local Elections page 11