Author: Pat Worboys

The January Corinthian is out

by Pat Worboys

Hope everyone who is a member has received their copy of the Corinthian in the mail. Some of the things in this issue of the January Corinthian are the following:

32x32 The Corinthian January 2025

Just a quick reminder our museum for visits is closed until March 6th at 1:30 PM.

We will still maintain office hours, Mondays 10:00 a.m. until noon.
To make an appointment send an email to greecehistoricalsociety@yahoo.com

Our Calendar of Events

  • Tuesday, January 14 History of Wegmans
  • Thursday, January 16 Annual membership meeting
  • Tuesday, February 11, She Unsung, Women in Rochester History
  • Tuesday, March 11, to be announced
  • Tuesday, April 8, Before Jackie: The Negro Leagues and the American Dream
  • Tuesday, May 13, History of Holy Cross Church

Please check our Facebook page prior to any event for unanticipated changes.

Our Tuesday Program for January will be on A Brief History of Wegmans Presented by Gary Harris. Reservations are recommended. Because of the anticipated attendance, the program will be held at Arcadia High School auditorium, 120 Island Cottage Road.

A Brief History of Wegmans by Gary Harris

Annual Membership Meeting

Thursday, January 16, 2025, 7:00 p.m.
GCSD Transportation Center, 1790 Latta Road

At our annual meeting, you can receive a copy of our 2024 Annual Report. You can also view a photo montage of our activities from 2024. Additionally, you can hear about our future plans. Our treasurer Bill Peeck will give a financial report and an election of trustees will be conducted. Trustees serve a term
of three years. Those currently seeking re-election are Bill Peeck, Deborah Whitt and Bridget
O’Toole. Deborah Cole Myers will be seeking election to fill the position currently held by Ruth
Curchoe. All GHS members are invited to attend.

A Message from the Society’s President’s

This month’s message is about the impact of social media and the web. They have changed how we engage with our members. They have also changed how we interact with the community. Also, this coming year we will look at replacing our 35-year-old furnace in the collections storage area. As well as other upgrades to improve the Museum experience for future generations.

Maureen Whalen wrote a piece on The Fight Against Polio

The Fight Against Polio

Volunteer of the Year 2024

Volunteer of the Year 2024

Upcoming Events:

Erie Canal Bicentennial

2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the completion of the Erie Canal.
Watch for events throughout the area commemorating this event. These include the Seneca Chief reproduction boat. It was built by the Buffalo Maritime Center. The boat will make stops in Monroe County in September. If you want more information on the Seneca Chief and its trip, visit their Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief page. Check out the Buffalo Maritime Center website for more details.

“She Unsung” February 11

Our Tuesday evening program on February 11, will feature Chandra McKenzi and Ann Coon. They will tell stories about a unique set of diverse women. These women made a commitment to others and produced a legacy of influence and leadership in the community. Their contributions have since become “unsung.”

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Volunteer of the Year 2024

by Pat Worboys

Sandy Peck

Each year we select one individual as “Volunteer of the Year.” This year we recognize a long-time member and volunteer Sandy Peck.

Left Bill Sauers, Middle Sandy Peck, Right Bill Peeck

Sandy Peck is a member of the Board of Trustees, is on the Society’s Finance and Audit Committees, and she also volunteers in the Gift Shop. As she is the second volunteer on the finance team, it allows us to maintain separation of duties between the person recording the deposits in the finance system and the person counting money received by GHS and depositing it in the bank. As a member of the Audit Committee, she greatly assisted that committee in conducting the 2023 internal audit in February of 2024. Sandy is the main person processing bank deposits on a periodic basis.

Always responsive in getting the deposits in quickly at the end of the month and monitoring any
buildup in volume of financial transactions, she facilitates mid-month or weekly deposits during the membership drive to keep cash on hand to a minimum and to maximize the interest income on our accounts. She volunteers in the gift shop at least once a month or more if necessary and contributes ideas on items to sell with the gift shop manager. Sandy also regularly volunteers to head up ticket sales for the Strawberry Festival and other fundraising events.

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Annual Membership Meeting for the 2025 Operating Year

by Pat Worboys

Our Annual Membership Meeting is Thursday, January 16, 2025, 7:00 p.m. at GCSD Transportation Center, at 1790 Latta Road. At the annual meeting, you can receive a copy of our 2024 Annual Report. You can also view a photo montage of our activities from 2024. Additionally, you will hear about our future plans.

Our treasurer Bill Peeck will give a financial report and an election of trustees will be conducted.

Trustees serve a term of three years. Those currently seeking re-election are Bill Peeck, Deborah Whitt, and Bridget O’Toole. Deborah Cole Myers will be seeking election to fill the position currently held by Ruth Curchoe. All GHS members are invited to attend. Below is each board member and a brief bio about them.

Bill Peeck
Bill Peeck brings a distinguished background in finance, engineering, and management to his role as Treasurer of the Greece Historical Society, a position he has held since 2015. A retired U.S. Army Finance Officer and former Business Analyst for Eastman Kodak Company, Bill holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Systems Management, reflecting his strong analytical and organizational expertise.


Deborah Whitt
Deborah Whitt is a dedicated community leader and longtime resident of Greece, where she has owned and operated a successful State Farm Insurance agency for over 40 years. Passionate about preserving the rich history of all ethnic groups, Deborah is committed to ensuring their significant contributions to the community are recognized and celebrated.


Bridget O’Toole
Bridget O’Toole brings a wealth of expertise as an environmental, land use, and municipal attorney with Heath & O’Toole PLLC. With a Bachelor of Science in American History, she combines her professional acumen with a deep appreciation for historical perspectives, drawing inspiration from her family’s rich tradition of amateur historians.


Deborah Cole Myers
Deborah Cole Myers has deep family roots in Greece, where she grew up and chose to return as her permanent home seven years ago. With a career spanning over 40 years, she brings extensive leadership experience, including 12 years at Eastman Kodak Company and over 30 years as a third-party insurance administrator, retiring as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Her strong ties to the community and professional expertise make her a valuable member of the board.

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A Brief History of Wegmans by Gary Harris

by Pat Worboys

On January 14th at 7 p.m., the Greece Historical Society will host its Second Tuesday of the Month History Talks at the Greece Arcadia Auditorium. This one will cover Wegmans Food Markets’ origins in Rochester, New York. It will also discuss its growth through the early 20th century. Additionally, it will cover its expansion beyond Rochester, the greater Rochester area, and Upstate New York. The Speaker will be Gary Harris, the Historical Asset Coordinator for Wegmans. Due to the possibility of this program’s large turnout, we ask that you reserve your seats early. The cut-off for reserving your tickets to the event will be at noon on January 14th.

This is the map of where to park, enter, and attend the program. A Section V game is set to tip off at 7:15 pm in the gym at the school. Please plan on arriving early to get a parking spot closest to the building. Note the Green Box is the Auditorium. Red Arrows indicate the two doors you will be able to enter. The Blue Information symbol marks where our registration table will be for the event.

Parking and Entrance map to the Arcadia High School Auditorium

Please reserve your tickets. The ticket reservation is live. Click the Read More button on the embedded post to reserve your tickets via the ticket engine. You can also call 585-225-7221 or email greecehistoricalsociety@yahoo.com

A Brief History of Wegmans by Gary Harris.
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Roc The DAY! 2024 With Greece Historical Society

by Pat Worboys

Are you ready to make a difference in your community? Please mark your calendars for December 3, 2024, because it’s time to ROC the Day with the Greater Rochester community! This 24-hour event is all about coming together. We encourage giving back to our region. We need YOU to join us in making a real impact.

At the Greece Historical Society & Museum, we are dedicated to preserving and celebrating our area’s rich history. Participate in ROC the Day on December 3rd. You can help support our mission. This ensures that future generations can continue to learn about our past.

This Donate button sends you to our Roc The Day Page for the Organization

Join us in supporting our community and ROC the Day on December 3, 2024. Whether you donate your time, money, or resources, every contribution makes a difference. Together, we can make a real impact right here in the Greater Rochester region.

So, what are you waiting for? Mark your calendars, spread the word, and get ready to ROC the Day with the Greece Historical Society & Museum. So on December 3rd, let’s come together and make a difference. See you there!

Any amount you donate today will help the Society’s Mission. Its mission is to preserve the History of the Town of Greece.

This Donate button sends you to our Roc The Day Page for the Organization

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Unleash Your Potential: Shape the Future of the Greece Historical Society!

by Pat Worboys

Are you ready to make a difference? As a volunteer with the Greece Historical Society, you have the power to influence how we connect our community with the rich tapestry of our shared history. This is your moment to step up and unleash your potential! We are excited to announce a series of regular meetings designed to reinvigorate our Society, discuss what has been lost, and brainstorm new, innovative ideas that can propel us into the future. It’s time to rally together, share our voices, and cultivate a space where history thrives!

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A Farewell to Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Fetter

by Pat Worboys

Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Fetter

Born: 1922

Died: 2024

Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Fetter 1922-2024
Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Fetter

On July 10 we lost one of our long-time members and volunteer, Betty Fetter. Betty passed away peacefully at the age of 102. She was born in Rochester, graduated from Charlotte High School, and was a
proud resident of the Town of Greece for decades. Betty was a longtime employee of Eastman Kodak who also volunteered at the Greece Historical Society, the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse, and the
Greece Public Library. She was a life member and former officer of the Rochester Lapidary Society and was a member of Greece Baptist Church. Throughout her life Betty touched many lives with her kindness, zest for life, and love of local history. We agree with her obituary “Betty was a marvel, living independently to age 100, and she served as a wonderful example of a life well-lived.” She enjoyed traveling, especially to the Adirondack Mountains with family.

Here at GHS, Betty was our volunteer registrar, coming every Monday to sort through and catalog our collection. Before the days of computers that meant handwritten entries in the registry and typing catalogue cards. She also attended training seminars on collection care and the duties of a registrar. She would be seen attending nearly every program and event held by us and would join a group of fellow volunteers every Monday for lunch.

Betty at Greece Historical Society
Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse
Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse from the Rochester Public Library Historical Division

Betty was at the Charlotte Genesee Lighthouse almost every Tuesday reviewing many documents and filing them and then met others at a restaurant where she shared local history. In later years a bus would drive her to and take her home from her volunteer duties and lunch outings.

When Secondhand Prose, operated by the Friends of the Greece Public Library, opened in a small room just inside the library entrance, Betty was a volunteer almost from the beginning. She helped sort donated books twice a month. She participated in their twice-yearly sales at the Greece Town Mall, on location at the library, or at sorting areas. She was always a cheerful and willing helper whether sorting or selling books.

Because of her community volunteerism, she received the Greece Historical Society Volunteer of the Year award in 2011 and a certificate of Merit from Senator Joe Robach in 2012.

However, with her tendency to downplay her own accomplishments, Betty had another highly significant volunteer “career,” about which few apparently knew. For nearly 25 years she was on the Race Communications Committee at Watkins Glen, performing vital services for the race organizers, in those glorious years of Formula One (from 1961 until 1980) racing at Watkins Glen. She was much appreciated for her devotion and skill and probably knew many of the drivers and race organizers. She may have met drivers like Geoffrey Eli Bodine, Brett Bodine, and Todd Bodine, from Chemung, New York and she was there from inception of “Six Hours at The Glen” in 1968 and would run until 1981, helping with the “Six Hours at The Glen” endurance race featured top drivers such as Mario Andretti, Jacky Ickx, Pedro Rodríguez, and Derek Bell.

Betty with friend Helen Sereno at Watkins- Photo courtesy International Racing Research Ctr.

Betty was the sole grandchild of Rochester residents John Kannewischer, a German-born tailor, and his wife, whose six children continued to live in Rochester/Greece their entire lives (1880s-1980s). A remarkable and extensive archive of Kannewischer family memorabilia was preserved by Betty and will be donated to the University of Rochester’s Rush Rhees Library Department of Rare Books, Special Collections and Preservation. Our April 2024 program by Cynthia Howk on the family was based on these
materials.

Thank you, Betty, for your service to the community.
We will all miss you.

Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Fetter
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2024 “Sweet Sensations” Strawberry & Dessert Tasting Fundraiser

by Pat Worboys

Date And Time:

Monday, June 17, 2024
4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Location:

Greece Town Hall Pavilion
3 Vince Tofany Blvd, Greece, NY 14612

Directions to the Pavilion
Directions to venue using Google Maps

Admission:

Adults: $10.00 (13 and over)

Kids: $ 5.00 (6-12)

Free for 5 & Under

FREE PARKING

Map of the Festival Grounds – coming soon

The Admission includes

Strawberry Short Cake and other dessert samples from

Dessert Samplings from The following vendors

Bill’s Long Pond Diner
Soulistic Sweets
Special T Cakes & Desserts
LAKE ONTARIO WINERY - NEW
Mayer’s Cider Mill & Lake Ontario Winery & Vineyards

“Love Fern Bakery”

Barton’s Parkside Hots

Hots, Burgers, Sausages, etc. will be available for purchase.

ALL WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

Music for the event is provided by:

DJ Flyin Brian of Party Productions

Other Activities include:

  • Children Activities
  • Grease Paint Alley Clowns
  • Community Displays
  • There will be Door Prizes
  • “Pick A Prize” Raffle
  • A Square Dance demonstration at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

A Square Dance demonstration at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. put on by The Western New York Federation of Square and Round Dancers

Western New York Federation of Square and Round Dancers
A Square Dance demonstration at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
A Square Dance demonstration at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Grease Paint Alley Clowns
Grease Paint Alley Clowns

Face-Paintings, Ballon Animals

Thank you to the Sponsors of the 2024 Strawberry & Dessert Tastings Festival

If you want to post the Flyer at any of the community boards around town or if your workplace has a what’s happing around town board the link to the flyer is below.

2024 Strawberry Fest Flyer June 17, 2024Download
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The Kannewischer Family Live Stream

by Pat Worboys

Historian Cynthia Howk presents an illustrated talk about the remarkable local Fetter family, covering 150 years of their life, work, and experiences through an extensive archive of historical photographs and documents previously unseen outside the family. This tribute honors 102-year-old Betty Fetter, custodian of this unique American story.

The Stream Will Go Live at this link here https://www.youtube.com/live/scsHuvT0nz4?si=VPrQMBjQO19kdgjM at 6:45 pm to ensure the video and audio settings are working and then the program will start at 7 pm broadcasted from the Greece Central School District Transportation and Student Services building on Latta Road at Mount Read Blvd.

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The 2024 Strawberry Fest is Coming!!

by Pat Worboys

Save the Date for June 17, 2024

Date And Time:

Monday, June 17, 2024
4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Location:

Greece Town Hall Pavilion
3 Vince Tofany Blvd, Greece, NY 14612

Admission:

Cost T.B.D.
Free for 5 & Under

FREE PARKING

Other Activities include:

  • Children Activities
  • Grease Paint Alley Clowns
  • Community Displays
  • There will be Door Prizes
  • A Chinese Auction

Sponsors and vendors of this Year’s Strawberry & Dessert Tastings Festival are to be announced at a later date.

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Join Us for M & M Sunday! April 21, 2024

by Pat Worboys
M&M Sunday

On April 21, 2024, from 2 pm to 4 pm, we will be hosting two of our top researchers and presenters Maureen Whalen and Marie Poinan are often the face of Local History in our town and the broader community. They both have given many informative talks at the Greece Museum, the Charlotte Branch Library, and several other sites around town. Their subjects have covered a wide range of topics from “A to Z” (ancestors to zoo!) Each has published and assisted others in numerous books and articles. Their audiences are always eager to hear their well-researched presentations.

M & M Sunday will honor them, along with other leaders of the Greece Historical Society. Come to thank Maureen and Marie along with other “behind the scenes” folks who make our historical society one of the best in New York State.

While there, enjoy M & M Sundaes, prepared by Jane Grant.

Jane Grant

More on this event

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Play Ball Exhibit

by Pat Worboys

On display at the Museum are artifacts from the game’s beginnings in the early 1800s to a jersey from the champion 2023 Greece Post American Legion team. Started on March 10, 2024, and runs till the end of the year.

Town of Greece resident Joe Territo, a co-founder and past President of the Rochester Baseball Historical Society is curating the exhibit. He also serves as the official team photographer for the Rochester Red Wings.

Little is known about baseball playing during the very early days of the sport in the Town of Greece. Accounts of organized games are extremely rare. Most of the town was farmland during the 19th century.
It is likely that the children of hard-working farmers played the game more often than their parents. Back then, the game would not have included gloves because baseball was played barehanded during most of the 1800s. It is also likely that these youngsters played an early form of the game called town ball. Bases could have consisted of various objects including stones or even tall stakes driven into the ground that players had to touch to be counted as safe. Farm tools, such as ax handles, were commonly converted into bats, and balls were handmade from tightly wound twine or yarn wrapped in cloth or leather.

As Greece grew in population with farmlands becoming housing tracts and the town evolving into a vibrant suburb of Rochester, organized baseball became commonplace. Businesses such as the Hotel DeMay and the Dutch Mill sponsored youth teams and men’s softball teams. Visitors will also learn that a semi-pro team called the Town of Greece home and was very popular during the early part of the 20th century.

Bicentennial Snapshot No 28 - Jerome A Combs The Baseball player
Bicentennial Snapshot No 28 – Jerome A Combs The Baseball player

Also, check out this snapshot: Bicentennial Snapshot # 28 – Jerome Combs, The Cobblestone Baseball Catcher

If you want to learn about some of our local hometown athletes who have gone on to the pro level or just had some records set at local high schools besides Jerome A Combs, then get yourself a copy of our publication written by Marie Villone Poinan the late Tom Sawnor.

Hometown Sports Heroes of Greece NY

Baseball jerseys with significant Town of Greece baseball history

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Celebrating 50 years of WDKX (103.9)

by Pat Worboys

Join Us on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, at 7 PM, at the Greece Central School District’s Transportation & Support Services Building, 1790 Latta Road, for a program on the History of WDKX the first and only African-American-owned station in Rochester, New York. The station was founded by Andrew Langston. Andre Langston & Andria B. Langston are the current owners of the radio station. The reason they chose the call sign WDKX is an acronym for and keeping with its urban contemporary format used the call letters to honor African-American Heros and one of them was a Rochesterian at the time of their death;

  • W stands for radio stations located east of the Mississippi River
  • D stands for Frederick Douglass
  • K stands for Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • X stands for Malcolm X

WDKX uses an 800-watt transmitter to broadcast its radio station. The station went live on April 6, 1974, at 5:30 AM and has been broadcasting 24/7 ever since. WDKX is one of only two remaining Urban stations in New York State.

The Station received the first-ever Pioneer Award from the Rochester Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Andrew A. Langston, founder, owner, and general manager of 103.9 WDKX FM, was among the inaugural inductees into the New York State Broadcasters Associations Hall of Fame in June 2014.

Andrew A. Langston, Founder, Owner, and General Manager of 103.9 WDKX

Andrew Langston died in 2010 at the age of 82. His son, Andre Langston, continues to operate the station as the current general manager and is our scheduled speaker.

Other Locations WDKX was featured or mentioned in:

  • mentioned on “Super Hoe” Boogie Down Productions Criminal Minded 1987
  • VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2005
  • Hart of the City in 2019 (Season 3, Episode 5) which was produced by Kevin Hart and Joey Wells in Episode 5 of Season 3 featured three African-American comedians from Rochester, New York, Joel Jones, Travis Blunt, and Zack Johnson, and was filmed at Photo City Improv & Comedy Club / Photo City Music Hall on the corner of Atlantic Ave and Culver Road.

The station has a wide-ranging playlist, from classic soul to current hip hop/R&B.

You can learn more about WDKX History at https://wdkx.com/about

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The first Warren C. Crandell Memorial Scholarship entry period is now open!

by Pat Worboys

The Greece Historical Society proudly announces a scholarship in honor of Warren C. Crandell, to a highly motivated, graduating high school senior from the Town of Greece who plans to further their education as a History or History Education major or minor at a two- or four-year college or university. The number of scholarships may vary annually.

Warren C Crandell scholarship

Completed applications must be submitted, delivered, or postmarked by the last Monday in March. The committee will review all applications received. Three candidates will be selected as finalists and interviewed by the committee at a date and location to be determined. Announcement of Awards to be made by the last Monday in April.

To learn more about the scholarship click here which will have the link to the application, the requirements for the scholarship, and brief information on the donor of the scholarship.

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BICENTENNIAL SNAPSHOT COLLECTION ON DVD

by Pat Worboys
Bicentennial Snapshot Logo

From March 2022 through March 2023, in celebration of our town’s bicentennial, the Greece Historical Society produced 54 multimedia podcasts called Bicentennial Snapshots. Each snapshot, averaging five to 10 minutes, explored a different aspect of Greece’s history.

Even though all of them are available on our website, the complete series of Bicentennial Snapshots is also available on a set of four DVDs for $15.00. Click on the Buy Now button below to order your DVD set of our Bicentennial Snapshots.

Bicentennial Snapshot DVD Cover
GHS Bicentennial Snapshot Collection On DVD
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Bicentennial Snapshot Series Completed

by Pat Worboys
Bicentennial Snapshot # 54: Gone but not Forgotten
Bicentennial Snapshot No. 54: Gone, but Not Forgotten

If you liked our bicentennial snapshot series that was released on YouTube from March 22, 2022 through March 28, 2023, and like this short video podcast style of presenting Greece History, please let us know by sending an email to VideoProgram@GreeceHistoricalSociety.onmicrosoft.com.

If there is sufficient interest in seeing Greece history presented in this way, we will look into expanding the series beyond the snapshots that have already been produced.

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