7-31-20 Ellicottville Magazine

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AUGUST 2020

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BRADFORD PUBLISHING CO.

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NTENTS O C F O E L B TA

FALL FESTIVAL

EVL BIZ

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PAGES 7-8

ADVENTURE HOLIDAY BOUND VALLEY

PAGES 9-10

PAGES 11-12

ECS

BICENECS ELLICOTTVILLE HEALTH & TENNIAL MEMORIAL SENIORS FITNESS

ECS SPORTS

PAGES 18-19

PAGES 20-21

LIBRARY

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS *Note that events are subj ect to change due to COVID-19 restrictions. Double check with event organizers.

AUGUST 1 nd

2 Annual Pig Roast at Ellicottville Distillery, 5462 Robbins Road. Live music, food and refreshing cocktails. $10 donation requested. Held in outdoor space for social distancing. Call 597-6121.

1 p.m.

AUGUST 5 Foraging at the Arboretum

Washington St. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy a summer evening of entertainment.

New act performs every Thursday.

7 p.m.

AUGUST 13 Summer at the Stone House concert at Cattaraugus County Museum, 9824 Route 16, Machias. Allen Hopkins, musician, will be presenting “Patriotic Songs.” Call 353-8200.

7 p.m.

AUGUST 16

at Nannen Arboretum, 28 Parkside Drive, Ellicottville. Foraging will be the topic of an outdoor presentation series planned for summer and fall.

Visit nannenarboretum.com or call 945-3845. 6 p.m.

Dirty Dozen Off-Road Run

AUGUST 6

AUGUST 16

Ellicottville Gazebo Series

Happy Half-Marathon and 5K

At Ellicottville Gazebo, 1 West Washington St. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy a summer evening of entertainment.

New act performs every Thursday.

7 p.m.

AUGUST 8 & 9 Taste of Ellicottville Downtown Ellicottville. Sample the best of Ellicottville’s fine restaurant menus as they set up “Cafe Style” on the streets. Visit ellicottvilleny. com or call 699-5046.

AUGUST 13 Ellicottville Gazebo Series At Ellicottville Gazebo, 1 West

at Holiday Valley. Four and 8 mile off road options. All profits and 100% of donations will benefit local food pantries. Visit runsignup.com.

8 a.m.

at Holiday Valley. The 13.1 mile route will start at Holiday Valley, take you through the rolling terrain of Great Valley and finish at Holiday Valley. There’s also a 5K distance and 1 mile Beer Run. Visit holidayvalley.com or call 699-2345.

10 a.m.

AUGUST 16 Distilled and Chilled Music Festival at Ellicottville Distillery, 5462 Robbins Road. Multiple bands performing outside on their distillery grounds with plenty of room to keep yourself socially distant. Call 5976121. 2-7 p.m.

AUGUST 22 & 23 Girls Getaway Weekend Downtown Ellicottville. Head out to the village for a weekend to celebrate all the amazing women.

Visit ellicottvilleny.com or call 6995046.

AUGUST 27 Summer at Stone House presentation at Cattaraugus County Museum, 9824 Route 16, Machias. Dawn Westfall, president of the Ellicottville Historical Society, will present Get a Clue: The Fun of Dating and Identifying Old Photos. Call 3538200. 7 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 19 Holiday Valley Mudslide at Holiday Valley. Run a 3.5 or 5.4 mile obstacle course. Pricing will be at $55 through Sept. 7, then $65 until race day. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Jim Kelly’s Hunter’s Hope Foundation. Visit holidayvalley.com or call 699-2345.

8 a.m.

SEPTEMBER 25 - 27 Ellicottville Lacrosse Festival Downtown Ellicottville. The goal for this tournament is to focus on fall lacrosse fun and showcasing the beautiful sport in the greatest light.

Sponsored by the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum.

SEPTEMBER 26 Amish Country Running Festival at Cemetery Hill Road and Church

Street, Randolph. One mile, 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Marathon set in the peaceful, rolling hills of Amish County in Randolph. Visit coachmarkwilson.com. 8 a.m.

OCTOBER 3 Amish Folk Art Classes at Leon Fire Hall, 12195 Leon-New Albion Road. Join in an Amish Folk Art Class, with history of American and Amish quilting. Presented by the Leon Historical Society and Museum.

Call 296-5709. 8:30 a.m.

OCTOBER 14 Catt. County Farmer-Neighbor Dinner at West Valley Fire Hall, 9091 Route 240. Visit agcatt.com or call 938-2318.

5:30 p.m.

OCTOBER 18 HoliCX Cyclocross Race at HoliMont, Ellicottville. One of the harder races in the WNY series is back for it’s 5th year. Sponsored

by Küat Racks. Visit holimont.com or call 699-2320. 10 a.m.

NOVEMBER 27 - 29 Christmas in Ellicottville

DECEMBER 5 Ellicottville Christmas Stroll Downtown Ellicottville. Celebrate the holiday season with a living nativity, complete with a camel, as it walks through the village to the town hall.

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Fall Fest canceled, Ellicottville community staying strong amid COVID changes

By Kellen M. Quigley The restrictions and safety concerns from the COVID-19 pandemic have been tough on the tourist-driven Ellicottville economy, but the community has continued to adapt and persevere this summer.

However, on July 20, the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors made the difficult decision to cancel the village’s biggest event, Fall Festival, out of an abundance of caution, announced Brian McFadden, executive director of the chamber.

“Each year since 1975, we have all looked forward to Ellicottville’s Fall Festival,” he said. “The event has always been a time to catch up with old friends, enjoy the fall foliage and start filling in your Christmas shopping list with our amazing vendors.”

Given the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainties surrounding the restrictions, McFadden said the board felt it would be irresponsible for them to set out to move forward with this international event, knowing full well by the time the event came around there was a very distinct possibility that travel bans and restrictions on gathering size would still be in place.

“We truly appreciate your understanding during this time and would like to thank our residents, visitors and vendors for their support, and we are looking forward to Fall Festival 2021,” he said.

In an interview earlier in July, McFadden said business had been quiet during the spring but began picking up more at the beginning of the month.

“It’s been busy in the community, and our business owners are doing a great job at following the guidelines,” he said. “I think it’s helping us attract people because they feel safe here.”

One program the chamber has with Ellicottville’s merchants is what McFadden calls the “Ellicottville Pledge,” which businesses sign up to take by agreeing to the guidelines from the state and CDC. After signing up, the business receives a poster to put in

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TIMES FILE PHOTO The Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce announced July 20 that Fall Festival, the village’s biggest event of the year, has been canceled for 2020. Shown are attendees from a previous year’s festival.

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Continued from page 5....... their window letting customers know they’re following the safety measures.

“I think those things keep everybody on the right track, including the customers,” he added.

“If the customers see that, they think, ‘I had better pay attention down here because they are.’”

A majority of Ellicottville’s recent visitors have been coming from Western New York, due in part to travel restrictions from Canada and Ohio who provide a lot of the village’s out-of-state visitors. But many of those coming from New York state have also been new to the area.

“We track our website very closely through Google analytics and we’ve had the most ever hits on how to get here,” McFadden explained. “So that means a lot of new people looking at a way to come down and visit and get out to the country.”

A major factor in keeping the village somewhat busy has been the outdoor activities available, including hiking and biking, McFadden said, as well as Holiday Valley having their golf course, pools and Sky High Adventure Park open.

Unfortunately, many bigger events that require close social contact have had to be postponed or canceled. In addition to some of the chamber’s regular weekend events, McFadden

said nearly dozens of weddings and conferences had to be put off this summer. “It takes a big hit,” he added.

Surprisingly, the real estate market has been on the upswing in Ellicottville, McFadden said. In the past three months, he said a number of families have moved to town permanently, which is a nice bright spot for the community to see.

With the unexpected reduction in commerce across the country, McFadden said all the businesses in Ellicottville had to prepare for economic hardships in their own way to help see the summer through. But the time when it picks up again may be uncertain following the Fall Fest cancelation.

“We’re an event-driven community, and that not only brings a lot of revenue into the community but the entire county,” he said.

Going forward, McFadden said they ask everybody to stay safe, following the guidelines, wear their masks and wash their hands.

“This is a great community when you come into it, and we’ve seen traffic building day after day right now, weekdays especially, and for the very reason that they know we are a community who really pays attention,” he added.

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Ellicottville businesses keep customers coming back with creativity

By Deb Everts Challenges brought about during the COVID-19 pandemic have forced most businesses to “think outside the box” to come up with creative ways to keep their customers coming back.

In the face of ongoing restrictions, three Ellicottville businesses shared some of their strategies.

John Rounds, owner of Adventure Bound and Ellicottville Coffee Company, said they have adjusted their product mix and have offered curbside pick up throughout the entire period.

His outdoor retail store at 16

Washington St. offers curbside coffees and hand sanitizer from Steelbound Brewery and Distillery.

He said they have also assisted customers with outdoor gear purchases by appointment where social distancing could be adhered to.

“The coffee division of our business has been a very important part of how we have been able to survive the crisis,” he said. “Our key relationships in Peru and other parts of Latin America have been very important throughout the crisis.”

Their new Nitro Cold Brew has been a huge part of the store’s summer offering. Rounds said the cold brew is non-alcoholic and takes

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Ellicottville Coffee Company is among a number of Ellicottville businesses that have been getting creative to safely serve their customers during this time of the pandemic.

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Continued from page 7....... about 18 hours to make.

He said customers typically describe it as less acidic and smoother. It can be enjoyed in the café and shop, or “to go.”

“Nitrogen is mixed with coffee and creates a cold, delicious drink,” he said.

“We also offer a Cold Brew Nitro shake where we add handmade Peruvian chocolate syrup and a little cream, which has been very popular.”

Rounds said they will soon be adding café craft beer, specialty wines, and coffee drinks to their menu. They will also be offering “beer to go” in both growlers, cans and bottles.

People still have the option to order merchandise from the store online at ellicottvillecoffee.com.

Rounds said their guide business started back up in June, as did their stand up paddle board rentals.

For more information, visit adventureboundonthefly. com.

Jessica Maynard-Gilbert said Ava Grace Fashions, her women’s clothing and accessory boutique, is holding strong.

Long before the pandemic began, Gilbert has stayed connected to her customers through social media. For those who prefer to shop from home or just need some style tips, she offers FaceTime, Zoom and two to three Facebook Live video chats a week featuring items from the store.

According to Gilbert, one

of the biggest hesitations people have about buying clothing is they have no idea what the fabric feels like and sometimes it’s hard to understand how things are going to fit. She said the customers love it when her staff models the clothing for them.

“I’m not a teeny, tiny model; I’m about a 14-16 and I usually wear an extra large. I have employees of different sizes who try on other sizes as well,” she said. “The reaction from our customers is amazing. I’ve had a lot of people thank me for trying things on, so they can see the amount of stretch and the length. They ask questions and it makes online shopping for clothing a little easier.”

Gilbert also offers private sessions or small group sessions similar to a Tupperware party where a customer hosts a party and gets store credit toward their purchase, based on what their attendees purchase.

Ava Grace Fashions is currently open to the public on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 5 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. Find out more by emailing Gilbert at jess@avagracefashions.com or visit avagracefashions. com. See page 21 for a special offer from Ava Grace Fashions.

Anne Coe said her business, Cupcaked Bakery and Event Planning located at 22 Monroe St., is open but

with limited hours. She said they are currently offering curbside pick up and walkin orders on Friday and Saturday from noon to 8 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

“We closed our doors for about a month-and-a-half while only doing special orders. Then we started doing just curbside pickup and now we’re back to having walk-in traffic,” she said.

Because of the pandemic restrictions, Coe said she had to fully remodel her business space to ensure that a limited number of customers come into the bakery. She said, based on the square footage, they can have only two customers at a time.

Outside tables are not an option, according to Coe, because they don’t have the manpower to ensure great customer service in-store and be able to watch the tables outside to make sure they get disinfected every time someone touches them.

Coe said her future plans for expansion are up in the air at this point, but she has some great leads.

“I would absolutely love to have a storefront in my hometown (Salamanca), so we will see what comes to be,” she said.

Customers may place their orders online at cupcakedevl. com and it will be ready in 15 minutes, or they can schedule it for later in the day. Cupcaked has Nationwide shipping. Orders are shipped out Tuesday of the following week.

PHOTO BY KELLEN M. QUIGLEY Cupcaked on Monroe Street is open but with limited hours, currently offering curbside pick up and walk-in orders.

PHOTO BY KELLEN M. QUIGLEY Ava Grace Fashions, a women’s clothing and accessory boutique on Washington Street, is holding strong amid the restrictions.

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Adventure Bound offers expertise on exploring the outdoors

By Sam Wilson John Rounds didn’t sugarcoat the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on his business, Adventure Bound onthefly.

Like many small businesses, Adventure Bound took a hit, especially in the early months of New York’s shutdown. But even now, with the Canadian border still closed and state-imposed restrictions on travellers from other states including Ohio, visitors don’t walk through the doors nearly as often at the Adventure Bound Washington Street shop.

“The events of the last four, five months have been

devastating here and exceptionally challenging,” Rounds said. “The closure of the Canadian border, which makes up about 35% of the business here in Ellicottville, obviously is just hard to fathom and then the increased challenges of late with the governor imposing restrictions on X-number of states has also had a really difficult impact because Ohio is one of the biggest markets here in Ellicottville and they’re on the list.

So between the events of that and the Canadian deal, it’s a very, very challenging situation.”

Adventure Bound has offered its outdoors expertise and merchandise sales for more than

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Like many small businesses, Adventure Bound took a hit during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, especially in the early months of New York’s shutdown.

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the community, a place to come for information on local trails and river conditions and gear and so on,” Rounds said. “So that part has been really positive and a great evolution for us. As a result, that allowed us to do curbside through the really tough months in the spring, which wasn’t lucrative at all but it allowed us to stay connected with some of our customers and stay engaged in, part community service

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“It’s a shared space and you come in and it’s a mixture of outdoor gear and great coffee and espresso drinks and travel inspiration and trips and so on, so it’s kind of a gathering point in

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because some people just needed to come by and grab a coffee and say hello to somebody.”

With its doors open, Adventure Bound could also sell hand sanitizer produced

by Steelbound. Then it started slowly exploring the outdoors again, with guided trips allowed in Pennsylvania and later New York.

“But it’s been few and far between just because there just

hasn’t been the people,” Rounds noted. “Our ability to social distance being outdoors is quite easy and there has been a lot of interest in stand up paddle boarding and people hiking and biking and all those things, which has been a positive thing for the population in general, but it hasn’t been anything that’s been incredible for our business simply because there just hasn’t been that many people here.”

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Holiday Valley offers plenty of outdoor activities amid COVID summer

By Deb Everts The dog days of summer are here and Holiday Valley offers plenty of cool activities to keep families busy but safe during the pandemic.

Marketing Director Jane Eshbaugh said business has been good and steadily increasing as the restrictions have been eased.

She said they are supportive of the various mandates from Governor Andrew Cuomo.

They believe the slow and steady method is working to help slow the spread of COVID-19, and adherence to the mandates helps

to reassure guests that their risk is reduced, Eshbaugh said.

“Overall, we are pleased with our business so far after we started opening the various attractions and services,” she said.

“While we are not able to handle our normal number of guests right now, they definitely have enthusiasm and excitement for the summer and the upcoming winter season.”

Eshbaugh said their reopening began April 24 when they officially opened the golf course.

All 18 holes are open and carts are available. The driving range and golf shop are also open. New

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PHOTO COURTESY HOLIDAY VALLEY The Pool Complex at Holiday Valley is open, but capacity is limited. Two sessions are open to the public daily, and swimmers are advised to reserve a spot in advance at holidayvalley.com/summer/pools.

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For those seeking adventure, the Sky High Mountain Coaster, Sky High Adventure Aerial Park, Gem Mining, 3D Climbing Forest and E-Bike Rentals are all open for the summer. Eshbaugh said the venues opened for weekends starting June 13, then daily on June 26.

“The coaster opened the weekend of June 20, then daily on June 26 with safe spacing,” she said. “Family groups can be together, but must be able to maintain social distance.”

Enjoy the hot, sultry days of summer at Holiday Valley’s Pool Complex and Cabana Bar. Eshbaugh said the pools and Cabana Bar are open daily for the summer, but the pools are running at limited capacity.

Anyone interested in using the pools can book a spot at holidayvalley.com/summer/ pools.

“The pools opened June 17,” she said. “There are two sessions open to the public and it is strongly advised to reserve ahead, especially on weekends, as the capacity is limited.”

Eshbaugh said they are taking it one week at a time at John Harvard’s Brew House located in the Tamarack Club. She said the restaurant opened July 4th weekend. According to John

Harvard’s Facebook page, the restaurant is open for dinners Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. The Cabana Bar is open from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. everyday. Patrons may order off a limited lunch/dinner menu or have a cold cocktail by the pool. As per the New York State mandate, patrons must wear masks at all times unless seated.

Lodging at the resort is not a problem, according to Eshbaugh, who said all three places are currently open. She said the Inn at Holiday Valley has been able to stay open throughout the entire COVID-19 period. Rental properties opened in June and the Tamarack Club opened in late June.

“Capacities are not limited, but we have to limit congregating in common areas,” she said.

Holiday Valley is always upgrading the resort to offer even more enjoyment for their guests. Eshbaugh said there are several major projects underway this summer. They are doing some more work in the glades and other slope enhancements, purchasing a new grooming tractor, and expanding their snowmaking operation.

For more information about the activities and events at Holiday Valley, visit online at holidayvalley.com and Facebook.

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Ellicottville schools prepping for uncertain fall reopening

By Kellen M. Quigley As schools across New York state await clearer guidance from Governor Andrew Cuomo, the Education Department and CDC, districts have begun their preparations for possible reopening in September.

At Ellicottville Central School, they are simultaneously working on plans to provide the appropriate materials and instruction to all students both in the classroom and at home, something that Superintendent Bob Miller said is tough for the primarily rural district.

“About 30 percent of our kids do not have internet access,” he

said. “Last year when we did go to remote instruction, we moved WiFi routers in the school close to the windows and told people they could pull up in front of the school, but that’s not always convenient.”

Miller said about 300 students initially received flash drives with instructional materials that were delivered by school bus and then picked up at a later date. That number decreased as they learned which students could submit their work online from home.

Over the summer, instead of collecting all student computers from middle and high school students at one time and keeping them for the summer, Miller said

TIMES FILE PHOTO Guidance remains uncertain from New York state on how reopening schools this fall will go, but the Ellicottville Central School School is doing its best to prepare for many possibilities.

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the district is collecting them on a rotating basis by grade level.

“We are able to make the appropriate updates and repairs in about one week and then we are handing the computers back to the students to use for the summer,” he explained. “This will also eliminate the need to distribute computers on the first day, or if we are unable to open and have to use remote instruction, the students will already have their computers.”

Also this summer, students and their families have had opportunities for meals even if the district was not able to deliver them. Miller said the Community Food Pantry at the United Church of Ellicottville, the Great Valley Food Pantry and Cattaraugus Community Action have been able to provide families with nutritious meals.

Additionally, the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program is free and available to all ECS families, regardless of income, on every other Wednesday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the district’s bus garage.

“We are providing remote summer school for special education students, so we’re continuing with the extended school year,” Miller added. “We might have one or two contacts out in-person, but we are ensuring the summer school special education services are taking place.”

IN RECENT months, Miller said a majority of correspondences with parents expressed concerns about virtual instruction, grading processes and meeting the emotional needs of students, among others.

“These concerns relate to how we were able to finish the 2019-

20 school year, as well as how we may proceed moving forward,” he said. “We are listening to these concerns as we plan for re-opening, especially if we have to return to a remote/virtual learning model.”

The district has also been working on a parent survey that was expected to be mailed out in recent days, Miller said, with parents being able to complete the form online or on paper and drop off at the school anonymously. He said the district is trying to collect as much information and thoughts from parents as possible.

Looking to September, Miller said the district is still trying to figure out what reopening will look like as they look at options for PPE, social distancing in the building, alternative classroom setups and sneeze guard shields among other measures.

“And then there’s looking at what other rooms we can use and what would our total capacity be if we maximize looking at all available rooms,” he explained.

“Thinking out of the box, for example, can we put a class on the stage?”

A major factor Miller noted when planning for reopening is the cost of all the safety measures and what kind of support the district can get from the state or federal government when making big purchases.

“We have some information, but we don’t have other information, and we need both pieces to pull everything together,” he said. “The way I’m approaching it is what do we need to do to open, and then I’m going to look at the costs. If I try to look at the costs upfront, I’m afraid I’m not going to look at every opportunity or potentiality of how we can open.”

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The next generation leaves the nest PHOTO SUBMITTED Graduating seniors at Ellicottville Central School toss their caps in the air during commencement ceremonies in June.

By Megan Hartsell ECS Reporter For seniors at Ellicottville Central School, the school year came to an abrupt conclusion with the impending doom brought upon our world by the coronavirus pandemic. Our last day of high school, and one of the final days spent together as a class, happened to be Friday the 13th.

Perhaps this is the worst luck we’ve had yet.

In an effort to keep this milestone year of our lives somewhat “normal,” teachers frequently hosted Zoom meetings, in which students were able to catch up and experience the human interaction that we were in desperate need of. However, with the trademark events of a senior year up in the air, including prom, a senior trip to Disney and graduation, members of the senior class held little hope for what the future might hold.

Our first surprise, orchestrated by the town of Ellicottville, is one that you may see while wandering through town. Local businesses

displayed photographs of the seniors in the front windows of shops and restaurants — a fun scavenger hunt for families and friends to find their seniors! The Ginn Mill asked for seniors to sign a banner in their front window, and Holiday Valley participated by dedicating their billboard to congratulate seniors. In addition, the school purchased signs for the front lawn to highlight each senior.

In early June, each member of the senior class was graced with a visit from Elliot the Eagle, who delivered caps and gowns to the graduates. Soon thereafter, another delivery, this time a bag of gifts donated by community members, brought cheer to the class. All were humbled to know just how many people truly cared for us.

As a grand finale to our long awaited, lifetime worth of hard work, the Class of 2020 celebrated together for one last day, at the traditional Baccalaureate breakfast. The breakfast, organized by June Chapman, featured several local religious leaders who bestowed valuable

knowledge on the class, and encouraged us to keep faith, even when times are hard. Following in the evening, was a not-sotraditional graduation ceremony.

The ceremony followed a traditional order, with a procession to Pomp and Circumstance, class speakers, an address from Superintendent Bob Miller, presentation of diplomas and the turning of the tassel. The most noticeable variation from tradition, of course, was the location of the ceremony on the front lawn of campus rather than in “The Ward” auditorium.

Abaigeal Donoghue, Class President, spoke of how our class was able to make the best of every situation. Donoghue exclaimed, “Ideally, we would have spent the past four months right here in school every day. But we adapted, and in the end here we are celebrating our long-awaited graduation.”

The Salutatory address, given by Adrian DeOrbe, took the graduates on a trip down memory lane, citing the many adventures, games and activities that we partook

in. He went on to explain the connection between our pasts and futures, saying “we also have the opportunity to make use of what we learned here at ECS to help us move forward into the future.”

With closing remarks, this reporter delivered the Valedictory address, and explained the importance of embracing fear, and allowing it to evolve into something positive. I reminded the graduates, “We may have started life together in the safety of our small town, but from here on out, we will be forced to step out of our comfort zone for the sake of growing as individuals.”

Before parting ways, the graduates bid one final goodbye to their alma mater and tossed their caps into the sky with jubilant smiles across their faces.

Although this may not have been the conclusion that many of us had imagined and hoped for it was certainly memorable. From the ECS Class of 2020, thank you to all who made this experience worthwhile.

This is not the end; it is the beginning. Congrats, graduates!

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Update from t h e E l l i c o t t v i l l e M e m o r i a l L i b ra r y The Ellicottville Memorial Library is currently open with regular hours of operation for patrons to come in and browse our shelves. In addition, interlibrary loan is now available among the 38 libraries in the ChautauquaCattaraugus Library System.

Appointments are suggested for computer use in order to guarantee availability due to social distancing requirements.

All other normal services are available, including photocopying, fax and printing.

The library is not holding any classes or events at this time.

The following items are newly added to our catalog or available soon: Adults: “Lockdown” by Peter May “To Wake the Giant” by Jeff Shaara “Near Dark” by Brad Thor “Choppy Water” by Stuart Woods “Deadlock” by Catherine Coulter “Outsider” by Linda Castillo “The Lost & Found Bookshop” by Susan Wiggs “The Summer House” by James Patterson “A Walk Along the Beach”

by Debbie Macomber

“Tom Clancy Firing Point”

by Mike Maden “The Order” by Daniel Silva Children: “Late Lunch with Llamas”

by Mary Pope Osborne “The List of Things That will not Change” by Rebecca Stead “The Star Dunes” by Trudi Trueit “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” by Suzanne Collins Digital Materials: Don’t forget that with your library card you can access over 17,000 eBooks and eAudiobooks to read or listen on any device. If you need assistance with accessing these materials, please call or stop in the library.

Wi-Fi: Also, the Wi-Fi at the library is always on and can be accessed from a car in the parking lot. There is an outlet by the front and back doors if you need the power to charge your devices.

On behalf of the staff and volunteers at the Ellicottville Memorial Library, please know that we have missed you. We love being your library, and we look forward to seeing you soon! Happy reading.

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HEALTH & FITNESS: “Strength” has many meanings

By Kim Duke Core performance has always been dedicated to building strength in our clients physically and mentally. Dealing with COVID-19 has made us fiercely onboard with the decision to prioritize lives and safety.

In our new reality, “strength” was already taking on a new meaning when the world turned upside down again as we all confronted the devasting tragedy of George Floyd’s murder. His life mattered, and so did the lives of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the many victims before them.

In all honesty, it’s been a humbling period for many of us.

At Core Performance we have

committed to having sometimes uncomfortable conversations with each other and creating goals and actions to hold ourselves accountable as trainers and instructors. It was just the beginning, yet it took a lot of strength.

But strength is more than running forward as fast as you can.

It’s a marathon as well as a sprint.

The real-life application of this metaphor means being in it for the long haul — our own Bradley Poole showed us what strength was when he ran 266 miles over the course of seven days to raise money and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis.

At the end of day one, Bradley admitted he wanted to tap out.

The week of his run was the hottest of this summer and the many

miles took a toll on his mental fortitude. But he was determined, tenacious, obstinate and ultimately persevered. Not many of us can demonstrate that kind of strength.

Ultimately, strength has acquired a different meaning for most of us. It is embodied in people of all colors who have had enough of the senseless brutality that has claimed so many black lives and have chosen to protest racism. As we have witnessed, even peaceful protests can turn violent and deadly since change seems to come at a steep price.

We have seen doctors, nurses and other essential workers put on PPE and courageously treat sick patients every single day. Janitors and hospital workers who are just doing their jobs, risk and lose their

lives.

Hopefully, at times, you even find it in yourself, like I am trying to do, when you admit that your words aren’t even close enough — that you are painfully imperfect — but you still speak up anyway.

The common denominator: We’re all reconsidering our previous notions of what strength is. And that is an opportunity we definitely don’t want to take for granted.

Core Performance stands in solidarity with everyone who has had to make hard decisions but found the strength to make them.

With our communities around the world fighting for basic rights and an end to the violence and racism.

We are right beside you for every step and mile in front of us.

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Town of Ellicottville bicentennial celebration planned to restart in 2021

By Deb Everts There is hope to restart the town of Ellicottville’s 200th birthday celebrations in 2021.

All but one bicentennial event for 2020, the town’s birthday year, were canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions but there is a plan in place for next year.

Organizer Dawn Westfall said the bicentennial committee met May 28 via Zoom to decide what their next move is in observance of the town’s bicentennial event. She said about nine committee members participating in the meeting collectively decided to postpone all bicentennial activities and do a restart next year.

“We plan to restart and try to do all the events we had planned for this year.

The decision was made out of respect for those people who may not be able to celebrate right now. Some people aren’t ready for that kind of public participation,”

she said. “It’s really hard to make a decision because we want to be able to celebrate, but we also want as much participation as possible.”

According to the book, “Cattaraugus County Bicentennial History,” the organization of Cattaraugus County and the designation of Ellicottville to serve as the county seat occurred in 1817, but the village was not incorporated until 1837.

The town of Ellicottville was formed from the old town of Ischua, now Franklinville, on April 13, 1820.

After the town was formed, it took its name from the village. Ellicottville was named in honor of Joseph Ellicott, the surveyor employed in the late 1700s by the Holland Land Company, which had purchased millions of acres of land in Western New York.

Westfall said they are going to start all over and will begin with another bicentennial kick-off during Mardi Gras and Winter

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PHOTO SUBMITTED Plans for the town of Ellicottville’s 200th birthday celebrations have been postponed until 2021, save one still planned for October. This undated photo shows the oldest frame house in Ellicottville, built in 1817.

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Carnival weekend next March.

The first bicentennial event of the year was held successfully March 14-15 during Winter Carnival weekend at Holiday Valley.

Maintaining the 6-foot social distancing recommendation, people were presented with a room full of Heritage Town photos and Ski Heritage photos, historical pieces and storyboards from the museum and a short video of the museum at the main lodge.

Visitors also had the opportunity to watch a video of Edna Northrup, Ellicottville’s well-known adventurer, skier and author of “For the Love of Skiing,” talk about her memories of the early days of skiing in Ellicottville.

The committee hopes to have the town’s birthday

party celebration next April, the month when the town was formed, Westfall said.

A big part of this year’s planned birthday party was to include the presentation of Pioneer Certificates to people who applied to honor their Ellicottville ancestors. She said the descendants who applied for their Pioneer Certificates received them in the mail this spring.

Westfall said Old Home Week has been rescheduled for the third weekend in July and will coincide with Ellicottville Central School’s Alumni Weekend.

Planned activities for next year’s Old Home Week include a street dance downtown on Friday night; a parade Saturday morning in the village; a carnival and activities for kids, sponsored

by St. Paul’s; and the annual

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reunion of the Descendants of the 154th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment at the Town Center. The committee is also thinking about having a familyoriented activity on Sunday to end the weekend.

“Everything we had planned and all the funds we raised are staying put for next year’s celebration,” she said. “We will begin reaching out to volunteers again in the fall to get things back on track.”

Although the activities marking the town’s bicentennial will start up again next year, in March, Westfall said they’re hoping to do a soft kick-off in early October when the Ellicottville Historical Society plans to unveil a historical marker honoring the town’s first permanent settler, Grove Hurlburt, who built the

first house in 1815. She said the plaque will be erected somewhere on the property of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, east of the village along Route 242.

More information will come at a later date.

Westfall said the Ellicottville Historical Society Museum is not open at all this summer and probably will not be open for the rest of the year. She said most of the volunteers are of the vulnerable population that is most threatened by the coronavirus. In addition, the museum space is very small, so it would be difficult for people to practice social distancing.

For updated information about the bicentennial planning meetings or to volunteer, contact Westfall at 699-6201 or daylight398@gmail.com.

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Ellicottville prepares for possible sports return scenarios

By Sam Wilson When, or how, high school sports return remained a mystery into late July.

After initial guidance on the state’s school reopening plan did not include details of interscholastic athletics, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association pushed back its start date for fall sports from Aug. 24 to Sept. 21, and canceled all fall regionals and state tournaments and championships. The NYSPHSAA’s Covid-19 task force also made a backup plan, should the fall season be interrupted or fail to start in September, it would push

all sports into 2021, playing all three seasons in six months.

“I think we all thought something would be different about this fall,” Ellicottville High School athletic director Dave McCann said. “I was a little surprised that the decision came out as early as it did to postpone the start of the season. We had been sent a few different scenarios prior to the state’s athletic committee meeting. So we were aware of some of the things that might happen but I was a little surprised at first, trying to wrap our heads around it and just wait and see.”

As of this publication date, with interscholastic athletics still

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TIMES FILE PHOTO The start of fall sports like soccer has been delayed at least a month in New York, with a target date of Sept. 21.

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Continued from page 20....... disallowed state-wide, students could not return to school grounds to work out, with or without coaches present. But McCann said he’s heard ECS students have found creative ways to keep in shape on their own or in small groups.

“I know Jason (Marsh) with the football team has been doing virtual workouts and I think even now to the point the kids are starting to get together on their own obviously without coaches around, starting to do a few things here and there,” McCann said. “I think more like a captain’s practice … a few have been going down to the town park and doing that.

We have a number of athletes that are involved in some of the youth sports that are being played. I heard that some of the girls are getting together and playing soccer at the park, all stuff off school grounds. But it’s good to hear that they’re being active.”

McCann said he took part in a virtual meeting for Chautauqua Cattaraugus Athletic Association athletic directors on Tuesday, July 21, to discuss the next step for athletic departments as they wait for a decision on school reopenings.

“We are all in very similar boats right now, our superintendents and administrators are focused on plans to reopen the school,” McCann said. “I think athletics right now is in a holding pattern, it’s not the No. 1 priority right now. But I think the consensus seemed to be that I think we’ll know more... there’s going to be another state task force meeting coming up. We’re getting guidance

from the state.

“Just today (July 23) we’re getting some guidelines for what reopening athletics might look like, we got that from Dr. Zayas today and some of the information that’s already been out there to at least start thinking about what it looks like or what it might look like in the fall, hopefully on Sept.

21. But I think ultimately we’ll know when the governor makes the decision on schools in general in that first week in August.”

McCann, like most if not all coaches or athletic directors, especially from small schools, shares concerns over the overlapping dates on the NYSPHSAA’s 2021 condensed season plan. Starting with winter sports (called Season I) in January, the end of that season would overlap for two weeks with the start of “fall” sports (Season II) in March, then that season would end while spring (Season III) began. McCann hopes the dates can be revised to keep athletes from having to choose between a fall and winter sport, or winter and spring.

“I know Dr. (Robert) Zayas (the NYSPHSAA executive director) has come back and said those are just tentative dates,” McCann said. “Even from what we hear from Timm Slade, the executive director of Section 6, that those dates, I don’t think they’re set in stone. We may be able to … I don’t think we’re going to get an ideal situation or a perfect situation if we end up starting in January.

“But we’re going to explore all the options we can to make

sure that we can have our athletes participate in multiple sports. Even our feedback from our meeting the other day with the other athletic directors, that was the big concern there.

And not only the athletes, but we have coaches that coach multiple sports. How would they handle an overlap of a season, are they going to have to choose one sport over the other?”

McCann still hopes, though, that fall sports could start in September if Covid-19 infection rates remain low in Western New York, which could mean taking a regional approach to the return of sports.

“I’m just hoping that we get some information at the beginning of August because

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scheduling wise, usually by this point in the year I have fall and winter schedules completely done,” McCann said. “And we’re already starting to talk about spring- in a normal year.

And I think that if they spring it on us a week before, the last week of August, that ‘hey we’re not going to start or this is going to be the plan,’ and then we all have to scramble to put together schedules.

“So just hopefully in that first week of August we have some more information and best case scenario, things are still looking good in this area, numbers-wise, case-wise, and we can hopefully start on Sept. 21 and get the kids active and something to look forward to at the start of school.”

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