OONA’s Day in Buffalo

On Saturday, June 15, twenty-one hardy OON’s set off in the cloudy, rainy morning for Buffalo. Our destination was the Buffalo waterfront where we were to board a boat to tour the Buffalo River and learn about its history.   When we arrived the clouds had disappeared and the sun was helping warm up the morning.  We were excited to be the only people on the boat which enabled us to sit, either in the warmth of the lower deck or up on top for a better view.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and willingly answered all of our questions.  We also were able to see two large cargo ships in port.  They were both unloading dry bulk cargoes. Since lunch was on the river we were treated to a full-size view of one of the ships leaving to go out to Lake Erie.  The ship was so close we could almost touch its side!!!
After the boat tour, we drove across the river to have lunch at the Riverworks Restaurant. This area is fairly new and, in addition to the restaurant, it contains hockey rinks, a roller rink, Escape rooms, climbing walls, a sculpture garden and more.  We all enjoyed our own selections for lunch from the menu.  No complaints were heard about the very delicious, and somewhat unusual food choices.
Our caravan then moved on to Aurora where Kathy and Pat Furlong welcomed us to their cozy log home.  We then had a choice of visiting the village in East Aurora or remaining at the Furlong’s to enjoy their amazing pond and landscaping. Ten of us ventured into the village while the others stayed back or began the trip back to Kent.
The village visitors went to Vidler’s and the Roycroft campus.  What a contrast —- biggest five-and-dime to very fine works of arts and crafts.
The day ended with very tired OON’s enjoying a yummy picnic supper created by Pat and Kathy with desserts prepared by their guests.  All agreed that it was an enjoyable way to spend a Friday.

CCC Camp 53/POW Camp Tour, 9/8/18

On Sat, Sept 8, OONA sponsored a guided tour of the former site of the CCC Camp 53/POW Camp in Hamlin.  The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a public work relief program founded by Franklin D. Roosevelt that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the US for unemployed, unmarried young men ages 17-28.  On Sat, Sept 8, Bill and Joanne Camann sponsored a guided tour of the former site of the CCC Camp 53/POW Camp in Hamlin.

This camp was used first by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) young men and then by German prisoners of war. The CCC boys lived here while they worked for $1/day building Hamlin Beach State Park from 1935 to 1941. German POWs lived here from 1944 to 1946 while they worked on area farms and in area canning factories for 85 cents a day.

Ed Evans and only a few others started more than ten years ago voluntarily spending many long days and their own equipment in clearing the site.  In addition to that Ed has been a main force in searching and developing and sharing the history of those camps and their occupants.

Approximately 20 OONA members and guests enjoyed this fascinating tour by Ed Evans.

Give Yourself A Tour Around The Hamlin CCC/POW Camp

Summer Solstice Party 2018

Several OONs attended the annual Summer Solstice Party to usher in the long awaited Summer on Thursday, June 21st at the Black North Inn’s Sunset Room (most appropriate for our themed celebration!). Guests were encouraged to dress in creative summer attire with awards going to Sue Zeppetella for Best Dressed Female and Frank Lauta for Best Dressed Male. Also, appropriately named entertainer, Judd Sunshine, (yes, that’s his real name!) did a fantastic job entertaining the guests with songs about sunshine and summer, including a sing-along featuring Frank Lauta and Mary Ann Tillman at the mic. The backdrop was perfect as we watched the weekly sailboat race participants cruise out and back into the harbor while we were being serenaded by Mr. Sunshine, himself!

Special thanks to Alana at the Black North Inn for helping me put on this fun & fabulous event, including selecting a perfectly themed buffet, providing excellent service and donating the “best dressed” prizes and other surprises!

Each guest went home with a packet of sunflower seeds to “plant some sunshine today!”

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Annual Plant Exchange

The annual plant exchange was held on Saturday, June 2 at the Orleans County Marine Park. Thank you to Sylvia Goodstine and Mary Ann Tillman for coordinating! The concept is to expand your garden by bringing a plant from your’s and take other’s home to plant. Sylvia always brings a variety of plants from hers to share.

This year, plants from former neighbor, Sandy Hare were provided to the “exchange” in her memory. New owners of Mrs. Hare’s lakehouse were kind enough to donate the plants from a garden she tended for many years before her death in 2017. Landscaper Jeff Osborne, with assistance from Lynne Menz, meticulously dug up over several hundred plants and bulbs to preserve and have a new life in OONA neighbors’ gardens.  Irises, daffodils, tulips and grape hyacinths will be spread throughout the OONA neighborhood in Sandy’s honor.