14 - ARCADE HERALD, THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 www.arcadeherald.com

AACC to sponsor Kean wind turbine presentation

On Wednesday, April 9, the Arcade Area Chamber of Commerce will host an informational presentation from Kean W. Stimm, wind turbine developer and inventor of the Kean Wind Turbine, about the benefits of bringing low-cost wind energy to your residential or commercial property. To take place at the Chamber office on West Main Street in Arcade (at Utz Tire Plaza), the presentation will begin at 9:00 a.m.

The Kean Wind Turbines are not the same giant open-blade energy producers we are accustomed to seeing in our area. These are much smaller and quieter — due to their enclosed blades — and produce no negative effect on the environment. They also are small enough to blend easily into the landscape and be unobtrusive.

There is much talk about the pros and cons of wind energy and Stimm and his team will be on hand to discuss how harnessing this renewable energy source can be a benefit to you, your family, business, and community.

Currently Kean Wind Turbines is looking at open-ing a production facility in Springville that can bring up to 400 much needed jobs to the southern tier. These turbines are designed to provide the lowest cost electricity available from any source, create jobs and prosperity in Western New York, provide our region with safe, highly efficient, low cost, renewable energy, as well as provide a renewable source of electricity that is feasible — without utilizing government subsidies, tax abatements, or grants.

Chamber President Dan Hoffmann said, “This is a huge opportunityfor our community and its residents. We have been lucky to live in an area that had great electric rates in the past — but even now electric, as everything else, is going up. The idea of bringing this many jobs to the area is also a much needed boost.”

This free presentation is open to the public. Please call the Arcade Area Chamber of Commerce office to reserve your spot at 585-492-2114 or email Kelly@arcadechamber.org by April 7.

The Arcade Historical So-ciety is inviting all Explorers in elementary grades 2-4 for another afternoon of discovery at the Gibby House. The fun will be on Thursday afternoon, April 17, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. There is no charge for this event.

If we are lucky — and it isn’t raining or snowing — our ex-ploration will be outside with a walking tour of downtown Arcade. Old photographs of the buildings will be used to show the students what Main Street used to look like in the early 1900s and the 1960s. An interior tour of the old Fire Hall on Liberty Street will be part of the walk, and then we will return to the Gibby House to see what has been hidden in the attic treasure chest.

If we cannot go outside, we

Calling all Young Explorers!

will have another scavenger hunt for historic items inside the Gibby House on the first and second floors as well as the attic, followed by old-fashioned games.

There is a limit of 12 children in grades 2-4 for this activity, and sign-ups are first come, first served. The sign-up dead-line is Thursday, April 10.

Email office@arcadehis-toricalsociety.org or telephone 585-492-4466, giving us the child’s full name, grade level and a contact phone number so that we may call to confirm or let you know they are on the waiting list. You can leave this same information if you get the answering machine. After the deadline we will call or email confirmations.

More information is at www.arcadehistoricalsociety.org.

Wyoming County American Legion to sponsor Veterans Open House

Wyoming County American Legion Commander Mike Jones has announced that the organization will sponsor a Veterans Outreach and Open House on Saturday, April 26. The event will be hosted by Walter Klein Post 532 in Warsaw at the Veterans Memorial Building in the Village Park. Hot dogs and refreshments will also be available.

Officers and members of the country’s largest war-time veteran’s organization will be joined by members of the VA Outreach Office, VA PTSD Clinic, Wyoming County Veteran’s Service Agency, the American Red Cross, Genesee Community College, and others to talk about veterans services and benefits.

Interested veterans are invited to stop by from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. In order to help determine eligibility, they should bring their DD214 and their most recent W2.

For more information, call 585-786-8860 or 585-786-9943. This event is open to all veterans regardless of residency.

Every day, seniors and their caregivers reach out to their local offices for the aging and community agencies for infor-mation, assistance, and services. Now they have a better chance of receiving those services, thanks to the New York State Legislature.

“This is wonderful news for the older adults of Cattaraugus County,” states Cathy Mackay, director of the Cattaraugus County Department of the Aging/NY Connects.

The Senate and Assembly last week released their ver-sions of the State’s 2014-2015 budget. Each one-house budget proposal includes additional funding — $5 million on the Senate side and $1 million on the Assembly side — for the Community Services for the Elderly (CSE) program. This program is a flexible funding stream that enables local offices for the aging and community-based agencies to address areas of greatest need within their communities.

The Association on Aging in NY, Council of Senior Centers and Services, Lifespan, and NYS Coalition for Aging ap-plaud the Senate and Assembly for recognizing the value of the long-term supports and services, especially in light of the growing aging population. Every county but one in New York State experienced growth in their senior populations between 2000 and 2010, ac-

NYS Legislature proposes increased funding for senior at-home programs

cording to the US Census. The four groups joined together to request an additional $26 mil-lion in this year’s state budget for the CSE program in an effort to deplete waiting lists at local offices for the aging.

The additional CSE funding is a good start toward investing in what is needed to help the 7,000 seniors currently on waiting lists for services across the state.

“As an aging network, we are truly grateful to the NYS Senate and Assembly for recognizing the growing needs we face at the local levels, Mackay added. “The older adults in Cattaraugus County who have spent years making this community a good place to live deserve this support.”

“The additional CSE funds will address areas of greatest need at the local level, including in-home personal care, medical transportation, and nutritious meals. The Senate and Assem-bly acknowledged the value of these services in each of the one-house bills,” said Laura Cameron, executive director of the Association on Aging in New York.

“The demand for services continues to escalate, fueled by a growing senior population. Enhancing these vital services will make it possible for more New York residents to remain in their homes and communities as they get older. That’s good for them – and it’s good for New York.”

by Casey DunlapOrganizers of the Arcade

Boys’ Soccer Club (ABSC) are passionate about the game of soccer. So much so, in fact, they are investing their own time to pass along that love of the game to the youngsters in the area. And, they’ve made participation easy, conve-nient, low cost and fun.

“We’re trying to get them hooked at a young age,” says Daryl Wiseman, vice presi-dent and coach for the ABSC. “We also want to make soccer opportunities available and affordable.”

The club currently has 80 official members — that’s double the number from last year — comprised of boys ages 5 to 18, in grades K-12. The club has a goal of registering over 100 local youths. Mem-bers age 10 and over meet on Thursday nights at the Pioneer High School for “pick-up” style soccer games.

“It’s a supervised and or-ganized pick-up version of soccer” says Colleen Raiber. “The open-gym setting allows them to touch the ball, work on their skills, and to be with friends, to keep it fun.”

Members of the Arcade Boys’ Soccer Club gathered for a photo on one of the recent practice nights. Boys are welcome to join anytime, and young girls may become part of the beginner’s classes on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Have shin guards, will play soccerArcade Boys’ Soccer Club offers easy, affordable opportunity

to learn more about the game and have fun with friends

For just a $25 fee, the boys get a jersey for practices; ac-cess to fields, gyms as well as other club functions; and insurance coverage at the fa-cilities. The fee also allows the club to reimburse players with a $50 voucher that can be used toward further training — like another travel team league or a summer camp opportunity.

Participants can join at any time, and do not need any pri-or training or previous skills. All they need to play Thursday nights are shin guards.

“They come to have fun and to play soccer,” explains Raiber. “We do our best to make the skill part of it fun, too.”

Board members say Erik Kramer, a teacher and soccer coach at Pioneer, was one of the main forces behind the ABSC, even before it became an official club in 2011. Board President Joshua Pierce, a 2003 graduate of Pioneer Central, played soccer as a Panther during his high

school career, Vice President Daryl Wiseman and Secretary Colleen Raiber are coaches as well as parents of young soc-cer players.

Pierce says the club wants to recruit and develop young tal-ent and, “promote affordable opportunities for the guys to play soccer year-round.”

Younger ABSC members (5 to 9 years of age) meet on Tuesdays and Fridays at the Arcade Elementary building to work with Tom Foote on basic skills. These practices and mini games are co-ed. The girls will have the opportunity to merge with Arcade Express, the local girls’ soccer club, when they are old enough. Some members have been

able to join the Holland Soccer Club travel league, too.

Fundraising events like a lottery ticket raffle, a food concession at Arcade’s Win-terfest, and alumni games raise money to help further the club and its goals.

The club is also organizing an equipment swap to benefit players in the community. Soccer equipment often gets outgrown quickly, and donat-ing used pieces could help out another child in the area.

Any used soccer equipment can be dropped off at Pioneer Middle School. Plans are to disperse it to anyone in need, possibly the first night of the Arcade Area Youth Soccer.