VOLUME 2 ISSUE 43
FREE
THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE VILLAGE OF ELLICOTTVILLE AND THE TOWNS OF ELLICOTTVILLE, GREAT VALLEY AND MANSFIELD, NEW YORK
www.EllicottvilleTimes.com facebook/theEllicottvilleTimes
JANUARY 3-9, 2014
Calendar of Events
Winter Blues Weekend Heats Ellicottville Nights Jan. 3-4
January 1-31 National Learn a Snowsport Month January 2-8 Canadian Friendship Week January 3-5 Bag Jump, Holiday Valley
By Eva Potter
January 3-4 Winter Blues Weekend Ellicottville
If the winter blues have you down, don’t despair. Instead, head to Ellicottville for the annual Winter Blues Weekend and let some of the best blues bands in Western New York groove you out of your funk. And what better time to do it than during Canadian Friendship Week Jan. 2–8. The annual event is sponsored by the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce and kicks off Friday, Jan. 3 and continues through Saturday, Jan. 4, when Ellicottville’s hot spots in the village and at Holiday Valley will be jamming all night long by some of the best blues bands in the region. Eight bands are on this year’s Winter Blues Weekend lineup. On Friday night, the Easy Street Sliders will be at the Gin Mill, the Jeff Jensen Band will be at Balloons, and Hoagy and the Blues Bombers will be at Madigan’s. Saturday night brings you the Speedy Parker Blues Band at the Gin Mills, Jay McDonnell at Holiday Valley’s T-Bar, the Tommy Z Band at Balloons and the Mick Hayes Band at Madigan’s. For times and locations, check out our Entertainment column on page 3, where you’ll find the most up-todate schedule of weekly live entertainment. So, if you’re feeling a little let down after the chaos and commotion of the holidays, here’s the solution. Spend a wonderful winter weekend skiing with Canadian friends and listening to the blues instead of singing them.
January 5 SkiScape HoliMont January 25 Harley-Day Valley Holiday Valley January 25-26 Greater Olean Sports & Outdoor Recreation Show February 7-8 AMSOIL Seneca Allegany Snocross February 8 Phoenix “Rise to the Challenge” Race HoliMont February 15 Boarding for Breast Cancer Holiday Valley February 15 Moonlight Snowshoe Tour Griffis Sculpture Park February 22 Penguin Paddle Holiday Valley March 7 Celtic Thunder Fundraiser Ellicottville Town Center March 6 Ski Day for United Way HoliMont March 8-9 Mardi Gras & Winter Carnival Ellicottville • Holiday Valley
WNY’s Scenic Byway
Ellicottville May Join the Loop in 2014 By Jeff Martin B
Residents and frequent visitors of Ellicottville may m have more bragging rights come 2014: inclusion i into the Western New York Southtowns Scenic S Byway (WNYSSB) program. The 71-mile loop connecting Orchard Park, East E Aurora and Springville may eventually include i Ellicottville, according to Bob Lennartz, president p of WNYSSB. The scenic byway is one of o 26 in the state and the only one in Western New N York. “Including Ellicottville fits the concept of o the byway,” Lennartz said recently. “I think t many people familiar with the program See Scenic Byway page 9
Serving Special Needs Families
HoliMont’s Adaptive Ski Program By Alicia Dziak
and snowboard. HoliMont’s Phoenix Adaptive Ski Program Chuck Richardson began the program in 1996 has entered its 18th season of teaching kids and with a vision of providing the best possible adults with all kinds of disabilities how to ski adaptive ski program to the families and friends of HoliMont and to build on the abilities and strengths of its students. “We focus on abilities and not disabilities,” Richardson said. “Once we see what these students can really do, we build on that.” Major equipment, such as sit skis, snow slides and outriggers are available to provide proper instruction to students who otherwise may never be able to ski with their families. The Phoenix Program also offers truly customizable ski instruction with a one-to-one student to instructor ratio. “We keep it one on one until a certain level of skiing is achieved, and then the groups will mix for more socialization,” explained Richardson. Phoenix Program ski instructor David “But if two students are skiing together, there Berghash and Megan McMahon assist Megan’s daughter, Anna Mary, into a sit ski.
See HoliMont Adaptive page 4
Aspire’s Inaugural ‘Ski the Valley’ By Jann Wiswall
Holiday Valley is hosting a new and very worthy fundraiser on Sunday, Feb. 9. “Ski the Valley” will benefit the non-profit organization, Aspire, a Western New York leader in providing programs and services designed to give children and adults with developmental disabilities opportunities to fully participate in their communities and bring them to
their “best potential.” “Holiday Valley is the perfect venue for this year’s event,” said coordinator Megan Babirad. “We did a similar event at another ski area for five years, but accessibility was an issue there. Holiday Valley is completely accessible and its Lounsbury Adaptive Ski Program (LASP) provides unique opportunities for people with disabilities to participate.” All snowsports lovers are
encouraged to sign up for this affordable and fun day of events that runs from 12–6 p.m. at Holiday Valley Lodge, on the slopes and at the Tubing Park. Lift tickets are being offered at just $60 ($70 with equipment rental) and include a lesson and a sumptuous Italian banquet prepared by Holiday Valley’s talented catering staff. The tubing option is just $35 and includes the banquet and See Aspire’s Ski the Valley page 8
There’s Still Time to Get Coverage
Health Insurance Enrollment Continues Through March 31 BY JANN WISWALL
It is not too late to enroll for health insurance coverage through New York State for 2014. Sign up by Jan. 15 for coverage starting Feb. 1. Sign up by Feb. 15 for coverage beginning March 1. Sign up by March 15 for coverage on April 1.
Sign up between March 16 and March 31 for coverage by May 1. And, if you miss those deadlines, open enrollment for 2015 begins on Oct. 1. To get started, visit www. nystateofhealth.ny.gov where you can look at your options, determine if you’re eligible for financial assistance and enroll.
As of Dec. 30, some 481,000 New Yorkers had applied for coverage, and nearly 242,000 people from across the state had successfully enrolled for coverage beginning Jan. 1. But there are still about 2.2 million New Yorkers who do not have health insurance, according to the Urban See Health Insurance page 5
STW Builds Partnerships, Strengthens Communities By Jann Wiswall
Many people in the area may have noticed references to Southern Tier West (STW) in conversations and newspaper articles, but few seem to know what the organization actually does. In fact, you may have benefited from some of its
programs but didn’t know STW was involved. Southern Tier West is a quasigovernmental organization that is part of the federalstate partnership known as the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). ARC is an independent federal agency
that “works for sustainable community and economic development in Appalachia.” Thirteen states have counties that are part of Appalachia as defined by the commission. In New York, those counties are divided into three local See STW page 3