2023 Year in Review
2023 Year in Review
A Look Back at All the Ways We Worked Together in 2023
It’s a word you see often in ellicottvilleNOW: COMMUNITY. And it’s no wonder why. Our area has mastered the art of coming together - whether it be helping families in need and fundraising for local organizations, supporting school projects and cheering on our athletes, embracing the #shopsmallsbusiness movement by lifting each other up, or sharing in the many feel-good events and activities that take place in our corner of WNY that we just can’t seem to get enough of. No matter what the occasion, our businesses, our residents, our volunteers… we bring people together.
Just spend some time in Ellicottville and our neighboring towns and you’ll easily discover many examples of “community”, whatever the season. Let’s look back at 2023 and hit on just a few of them…
WHEN LOCAL BUSINESSES TEAM UP
At the top of the year, two Ellicottville-based businesses, Weed Ross Insurance and The Boardroom Snowboard Shop, joined forces to give a group of young snowboarders a boost in a growing winter sport that the business owners themselves are very passionate about.
What was once a program focused on racing gates has evolved into a freestyle team determined to master the terrain parks. HoliMont’s freestyle snowboard program, which launched six winters ago with just a few participants, has grown to over two dozen. You may not have noticed this group of shredders on the hill dressed in their own personal coats and pants in years past, but you certainly recognized them last ski season. Thanks to Weed Ross and the The Boardroom, each HoliMont Snowboard Team member was outfitted with a “HoliMont Snowboard Team” jacket. It may not seem like a big deal on the outside, but for the kids, it’s a feeling of inclusion and pride… and “being official,” as one team member expressed. For the sponsoring businesses, it’s just what they do. And that’s what makes this community so special.
“The best and most rewarding part of owning Weed Ross has been the ability to give back to the local community,” said Sean Cornelius. “We support many events and charities in our area throughout the year. Supporting the HoliMont Snowboard Team/Program is something that is near and dear to my heart. I have been snowboarding since I was 12-years-old and it has been a major part of my life. My sons, Harrison and Finn, have now found the same love for snowboarding that I have, and this team has been excellent for them.”
As for Timkey, he and his shop need no introduction. A family-run business in its 39th season, Spencer is the second generation of The Boardroom Snowboard Shop and snowboarding advocacy. The Burton jackets provided by The Boardroom - coupled with the HoliMont Snowboard Team name and sponsoring business logos applied on the jackets by Sports Locker of Olean - has each HoliMont Snowboard Team member and coach now proudly donning their passion on and off the slopes.
REPAIRING THE RAIL CARS
It’s hard to make sense of the destruction people cause sometimes, especially when it happens to a staple historic attraction. In mid-January, the Salamanca Rail Museum had all four of its rail cars vandalized, resulting in over $9,000 worth of damage. Just to give you some background on the museum’s historical significance, the Rail Museum is a fully restored passenger depot that was originally constructed in 1912 by the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railways. It was acquired in 1980 and brought back to life through a combination of donations, government funds and volunteer labor. The two-story building’s main lobby reflects the simple elegance of its age. The ticket office is still authentic, right down to the office furniture and telegraph machine. It boasts a brick-walled baggage room and even a special “Ladies Retiring Room” with multiple windows to let in light. The whole place is an exact duplicate based on the original architectural plans. Oh, it must have been a delight to visit in its heyday!
The museum is open to visitors seasonally (or by appointment) and provides an opportunity to experience a bygone era from over 90 years ago - through photos, video presentations and artifacts. Some of those artifacts that crowds are always happy to see are the authentic rail cars that were broken into; at least 31 of their windows were smashed out and their seats cut open.
As a non-profit organization, this was a harsh blow. Sixt Lumber and Robinson Construction & Residential Electric were instrumental in offering their generous assistance during the emergency, helping the Rail Museum secure the cars and working to avoid any further damage from the winter weather. Many other local businesses stepped up to offer their support to repair the rail cars and purchase/install a security system. The community came together to help build this beautiful historical attraction back to its glory.
ON SNOW “FUN”DRAISERS
Unique to our area is the ability to raise substantial support for area organizations while enjoying the thrill of skiing and snowboarding. Both Holiday Valley and HoliMont provide a home base for many on-snow events. Two that stick out from this past year are Ski 4 A Cure and The Boardroom Banked.
Inspired by The Ride For Roswell summertime cycling event, the Ski Club of Lockport (SCOL) created a day centered around outdoor winter activities - where all members of the family would have the chance to participate and have fun together, skiing/snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, competing in races, scavenger hunts and more, with the end goal to raise money for cancer research at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“I saw a fundraising event like this at Vail ski resort in Colorado,” said SCOL board member Tom Doran. “It was called “Pink Vail. It’s a big festival with thousands of people all wearing pink and having fun to raise money for their local hospital out there.”
The inaugural event, held at HoliMont in February, kicked off with an emotional “Survivors” Parade down Exhibition slope featuring cancer survivors, their family members and friends, all traversing to the bottom on their skis and snowboards. A colorful parade it was as participants were encouraged to wear colors that represent the cancer they are/were affected by.
Ski 4 A Cure will return to HoliMont on February 16th with even more activities. Tickets are already on sale and can be purchased through HoliMont’s website at holimont.com/events.
On the other side of the mountain, snowboarders across the western New York region pull out the fresh wax come each March in preparation for the annual Boardroom Banked Slalom held at Holiday Valley. The 2023 event saw yet another epic display of community coming together to not only celebrate standing sideways and cheer on one another, but to help others in need.
“While the Banked is a day to celebrate western NY snowboarding, we also use it as a tool to raise money for a great cause,” said Spencer Timkey, owner of The Boardroom Snowboard Shop which organizes the event. For the second year in a row, proceeds were donated to P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative, a Buffalo-based nonprofit that assists families affected by pediatric cancer. Close to $5,000 was raised for the cause, outshining the year before, thanks to the generosity of all those who love to snowboard.
If you love snowboarding, mark your calendar for Sunday, March 3, 2024 when the 6th annual returns to Holiday Valley. (It’s a great spectator’s event too, for those who don’t ride.) Keep tabs right here in ellicottvilleNOW and follow @holidayvalley @boardroomeville on social.
COMMUNITY MURAL
Community means a great deal to all of us. It’s where we grow up, who we raise our families with, the place we plant our roots. It means so many different things and keeping it not just clean and beautiful but inclusive and safe for all citizens when they come together. The Tri-County Arts Council of Olean (TCAC) understands the value of community, which is why for the second year in a row, they invited an artist to design and create a larger-than-life mural that the entire community can enjoy and appreciate.
Following the successful installation of 2022’s mural by artist Meg Saligman titled, “The Heart of Olean” (which encompasses all four sides of the Liberal Arts Center building at the SUNY JCC Cattaraugus Campus), the Arts Council’s attention shifted to artist Alex Derwick for 2023, who’s mural, “Community Ties” now graces the wall of the William O. Smith Rec Center in Olean’s War Vets Park.
“I wanted to depict an older sibling teaching a younger sibling how to tie their shoes. I really wanted to create something that showed the community caring for each other,” Alex said about his proposed mural design. ”I came up with the design based on my own memories of learning to ice skate at the recreation center. I can remember looking down at my skates and feeling like tying my laces was an impossible task - a small but worrisome moment for a kid. The beauty of a space like the recreation center or the basketball court or any space where physical activities are being held, there’s usually someone there to help you learn the ropes. It’s not just about the shoelaces but the point that people will always be there to help each other.”
Alex’s mural included assistance from members of the community, who were invited to help paint on specially organized “public paint days” - a true example of community and bringing people together. Going forward, TCAC hopes to be able to support a mural project each year and welcomes any artist that is interested to apply by reaching out to them at 716-372-7455 or info@myartscouncil.net.
PUBLIC SKATEPARK OPENS
Following three years of fundraising and a year of construction, the Ellicottville Skatepark Committee (SK8EVL) and the Village of Ellicottville hosted a grand opening celebration of the new concrete public skatepark located inside Ellicottville’s Village Park. The June 30th event welcomed a great crowd, high-energy entertainment, local vendors and food trucks, plenty of giveaways, and of course, skateboarding! Special guests included Mary Wilson and Dave Egner from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, and members of The Skatepark Project including Tony Hawk’s brother, Steve, and sister, Lenore. The Skatepark Project team gifted close to 100 skateboards to kids and teens that attended the celebration throughout the day.
The skatepark, designed and built by Grindline of Seattle, WA, is a culmination of the passion of local skateboarding advocates and a matching grant awarded by The Skatepark Project and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. With title sponsorship for the project supported by the New Car Dealers of WNY Charitable Foundation, the skatepark is named the New Car Dealers of WNY Ellicottville Skatepark.
As the lead advocate of SK8EVL, we can’t thank the New Car Dealers of WNY Charitable Foundation enough for their support in this endeavor. Their $100,000 donation turned into $200,000 as a result of The Skatepark Project and RCW Jr. Foundation’s “Built to Play” matching grant program. Add to that all the support we’ve received from businesses and community members right here in Ellicottville, and we now have a state-of-the-art facility that welcomes all ages, all skill levels, and most importantly, a safe space where our youth can be active, develop friendships and express themselves through the sport of skateboarding.
“The Ellicottville community has come together to create an incredible new recreational resource for the young people of the area,” said Benjamin Anderson Bashein, executive director of The Skatepark Project. “The Skatepark Project is proud to be a part of helping make the Ellicottville Skatepark a reality.”
The facility, which invites the public to use at no charge, has seen skateboarders from all over the country come enjoy the park since opening, and has received great feedback from skaters and non-skaters alike.
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT
The Frank Pitillo Memorial Lighting Fund was created in June 2022 by Nick Pitillo who explained the purpose of the foundation as this: “This project is to replace the lights on the sports field at Ellicottville Central School, which have fallen in disrepair. These lights were originally put up through a community effort in 1977 in honor of my brother Frank Pitillo, a local athlete that was killed in a motorcycle accident. These new lights will be in place for years to come, so they can help create new memories for the next generation. Whether it’s playing a sport, or attending games, “Friday Night Lights” is a cherished tradition that has created countless memories for generations, not only here, but across the entire country.”
As the new school year approached, and thanks to COMMUNITY, the Frank Pitillo Memorial Lighting Fund reached its fundraising goal and the new lights were installed in time for the ECS Homecoming Weekend varsity football game. In a heartwarming moment, the Pitillo family shared with all in attendance the monumental joy and celebration of flipping the switch in honor of the late Frank Pitillo, writing history for the second time at ECS.
The new system is more environmentally efficient, using up to 75% less energy, and if you had a chance to attend a game under the lights this past fall, you noticed increased clarity and reduced blind spots, which certainly helps our young athletes play safely.
FOOD PANTRY EXPANSION
We’ve all needed a little bit of help at some point in our lives. There’s no shame in seeking assistance in a time of need. Our local food banks provide plenty of people with sustenance. It’s what they do. They help. But earlier this year, the Great Valley Food Pantry asked for the community’s help. They had outgrown their space.
“The Great Valley Food Pantry was set up inside the Great Valley Town Hall in 2019 to assist folks residing in Great Valley, Humphrey and Killbuck,” said Jan Benson, Pantry Coordinator. “It is our intention to offer food assistance to many in our area who fall into the low and limited income category. The pantry has gone from helping 20 residents to now approximately 150-170 each month!”
Due to the growing need for assistance, the Town built an addition onto the Town Hall. The 37’x42’ area now exclusively serves as the pantry, but the contents and fixtures inside were the responsibility of the food pantry to supply, through donation. This is where the community stepped up to the plate. 3-door coolers, a large freezer, folding chairs, stainless metal tables and shelves, storage bins, shopping carts, paint and monetary donations came pouring in, along with many donations of non-perishable food items, toiletries and household items to help restock the shelves. The new space was completed this past fall and is now able to assist the many residents who walk through its doors in need.
IN TRUE HOLIDAY SPIRIT
One hundred years ago, a group of good people in Cleveland, Ohio established an orga- nization to manage personal endowed funds established by families, groups and organizations for charitable foundations. Today, these groups exist all over the United States. One such group, the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation (CRCF), hosts an annual nonprofit networking day each year to help other local nonprofit organizations grow their funding capacities. Called Cattaraugus GIVES and taking place on Giving Tuesday, CRCF has gone from raising $28,000 for 40 participating nonprofits in 2017 to over $275,000 for 88 nonprofits in 2019 to over $306,000 for close to 90 organizations in 2023!
The one-day, 24-hour online fundraising blitz has helped so many local organizations to continue their mission - from Empire Animal Rescue Society to the Pink Pumpkin Project to the Ellicottville-Great Valley Recreation Trail, Cattaraugus GIVES acts as the kickoff to the holiday fundraising season.
Bob McCarthy’s Irish Christmas has created quite the buzz over the past 18 years, and this year was just as exceptional. This fun evening honoring the event’s namesake reflects the generosity and compassion of our tight knit community as many turn out to support the cause. Hosted by The Bob McCarthy Foundation each December at Ellicottville Brewing Company, Irish Christmas never disappoints with unique auction items paired with freshly baked pies by Ellicottville’s finest local bakers, with funds applied towards the foundation’s Christmas initiatives - Santa’s Workshop and the Santa Sheriff Program. Proceeds also provide funding for the foundation’s year-round family support services as they strive to level the playing field for those less fortunate in our community. This year’s event, held December 1st, was able to help 29 families totaling 117 individuals, and as a volunteer at Irish Christmas each year, I can tell you there is no sign of this wonderful event slowing down. The foundation is already working on details for 2024!
CCA (Connecting Communities in Action) and the Salamanca Schools Transportation Department teamed up earlier this month to “Fill the Bus”. This yearly event invites the community to come together to make a difference for those in need by donating non-perishables and even toys and books to add to a family’s holiday wishes. All proceeds go directly to support CCA’s Nutrition Department which offers an in-house pantry, a community kitchen, and a community garden.
ERA Team VP Real Estate and Vacation Rentals experienced an overwhelming success of their 2023 Toys for Tots campaign, bringing in over 500 toys, thanks to the generous outpouring of support from their clients and the community. Let’s not forget to mention the donation bins set up inside M&T Bank, the Project Christmas initiative at Ellicottville Central School, 2024 calendar sales to benefit our furry friends, and you’ve got a whole holiday season of feel-good fundraisers that everyone can get behind, each one raising more money and more awareness than the year before! That’s the value of community! How wonderful it is when we all connect for the greater good!
Cheers to 2023. Let’s rally together to make 2024 another monumental year for the books!
