NOW this… by Brenda
NOW this… by Brenda
We remember…
After a long year of staring at bare sidewalks, the village benches have found themselves back where they belong. Many of them, adorned with plaques, are more than just places to sit and rest. They are engraved with memories. Members of our community. Loved ones. Our friends. Our mentors. They are simple reminders that those we’ve lost will always have a special place in our hearts … and in our village.
And they look great! Ellicottville’s benches are the complimentary brush strokes of our picturesque downtown. How sweet it is to drive into work each morning and see them perfectly placed around Village Hall, lining the main drag, and in front of the church. How inviting they are for those visiting, and how wonderful it is to take that next step towards “normal”.
If you’re interested in commemorating a loved one on an Ellicottville bench, you can contact Village Clerk, Mary Klahn, for an application. The Village, which stores and maintains the benches, offers a 10-year program for $800 which includes the purchase of a bench, the plaque, and maintenance assisted by the Lion’s Club. Mary can be reached at Village Hall at 716-699-4636.
MEMORIAL DAY IN-PERSON
Another welcomed return to our village: Memorial Day Services. It was quite heartbreaking in 2020, to experience an absent, silenced day for our brave. No doubt this year’s in-person ceremony will be additionally emotional as we reconnect to honor the memory of our country’s service members who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
The Ellicottville American Legion Post 659 will conduct Memorial Day services on Monday, May 31st at 11:00am on the lawn of the Town/Village Hall. The community is invited to attend.
TABS FOR MS. ADAMS
Anyone who has been a part of Ellicottville Central School over the years - whether staff, student, or parent - certainly remembers Ms. Adams. Cathy Adams was the elementary secretary for 20 years, and she certainly made quite an impact at the school. So when she lost her battle to leukemia in December of 2019, the school community felt it.
One of the many campaigns Ms. Adams was involved in year after year was the PTO’s Tab Collection. To honor her memory, ECS is collecting tabs - LOTS of tabs - to apply towards a generous donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
GET COLLECTING! If you have a child in the elementary wing, start popping those tabs and have your child bring in their collection to school the first week of June. According to the school, their goal is to collect 25 paper boxes full of tabs.
If you don’t have a child in school, you can still help! Tim & Bonnie’s Pizzeria has stepped up to the plate to offer a tab collection jar at their Bristol Lane location. Pop the tabs off the top of various aluminum products including pop/beer cans, soup cans, pet food, etc. and drop them off at the counter anytime. The PTO plans to turn all tabs over to the recycling station on June 4th.
Brenda Perks is the publisher/editor/designer of ellicottvilleNOW and owner of DesignPerks, a graphic design company affiliated with the local media/marketing agency, PaNDaGOAT Media. You can reach Brenda at brenda@ellicottvillenow.com.
