Southern Erie County
Students at Springville-Griffith Institute High School won the $750 first prize in the second annual Rain Barrel Painting Contest to celebrate Earth Day.Senior Dakota Nesselbush and other students designed the winning barrel, which was among 25 entries from high schools and youth organizations in Erie and Niagara counties.
Barrels had to be decorated for the theme “Rainwater is a resource, not just runoff.”
The contest was sponsored by the Erie County Department of Environment and Planning, Erie County Water Quality Committee, Western New York Stormwater Coalition and Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Buffalo, which provided the barrels.
Also this week:
• Energy improvements at Lake Shore School District, funded by a $50,000 grant secured by state Sen. Mark Grisanti, are expected to save about $45,000 a year.
The grant allowed the district to replace exterior lighting at Hoag Educational Center, A.J. Schmidt Elementary, J.T. Waugh Elementary, Highland Elementary and the bus garage, reducing energy costs.
The district had been awarded a three-year state Education Department grant that was based on efficiencies in operations and now funds an energy conservation initiative and program. The energy conservation program has saved the district $167,088.39 in the last 14 months and fully supports the position of an energy specialist in the district.
The “bullet-aid” from Grisanti, R-Buffalo, will continue the efficiencies and will generate additional energy savings that will be gained and measured during the next decade.
“We were delighted to receive this additional funding and sought to use the money to make a lasting investment in our district,” said Superintendent James Przepasniak.
• A meeting of the Eden Planning Board begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the second-floor conference room at Town Hall, 2795 E. Church St. The agenda can be viewed at www.edenny.org.
• The Evans Town Board will hold a work session at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday in Town Hall, 8787 Erie Road.
• A small business summit will be held from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Friday in Springville Country Club on Cascade Drive. Presented by state Sen. Patrick M. Gallivan, R-Elma, the Springville Area Chamber of Commerce and leaders in business development, the event is free and open to the public.
• St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Springville is hosting an extravaganza and rummage sale from noon to 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at 591 E. Main St. A bag sale begins at 1 p.m. Saturday.
• Eden’s annual townwide garage sale, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, is Saturday.
• Holland Community Choir will perform “It’s America!,” a celebration of the musical heritage of the United States, at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday at Hope on the Hill Church, 10039 Savage Road. Advance tickets cost $3 and are available by calling Terry Trometer at 652-3514. Tickets cost $4 at the door. Members of the military, with identification, will be admitted for free.
• Newell-Faulkner Post 880, American Legion, in Eden is hosting its fifth annual gun raffle from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday and a sweepstakes fundraiser at 4 p.m. next Sunday on post grounds, 2912 Legion Drive.