Shredd & Ragan Proclamation

WEDG-FM 103.3 Week in Springville NY

Whereas,  WEDG-FM 103.3 entertains Western New York with popular radio programming, and

Whereas, the Shredd and Ragan Show provides information about recent news, sporting, and cultural events in Western New York, and

Whereas, the Shredd and Ragan Show serves as a public forum for expression and opinion for Western New York residents, and

Whereas, the Shredd and Ragan Show has been broadcast since 1994, and

Whereas, The Shredd and Ragan Show provides comic relief to stresses in everyday affairs, and

Whereas, the Shredd and Ragan Ten Town Tour, introduces the Western New York audience to the cultural, commercial, and historical aspects of Western New York towns and villages, and

Whereas, the Shredd and Ragan Ten Town Tour is broadcasting in Springville on Thursday October 21, 2010, and

Whereas, The Village government, Village businesses and Village cultural organizations welcome the larger Western New York audience, now therefore be it

Resolved that the week of October 17, 2010 is WEDG-FM 103.3 week in the Village of Springville, and be it further

Resolved that the Shredd and Ragan Ten Town Tour be welcomed to the Village of Springville with the same sincerity and comedic spirit shown by Ted Shredd, Tom Ragan, Jim Jacka, Josh Potter, and  James

Mayor’s Veterans Day Speech

On behalf of all the residents of the Village of Springville, I wish to thank all the Veterans here today, all the local Veterans who could not attend today, and all our local sons and daughters presently serving in the military.  I extend our sincerest gratitude and thanks for your sacrifices and selflessness as you make our country a better place.

We are all reminded every day on the evening news of the extent of your service to us all.  The recent shooting at Fort Hood in Texas, the horrific killing of US Army Personnel at their home base in Texas by a deranged man, is perhaps the most shocking example of how you put your lives on the line when you serve your country, when you serve us.

General Patton said, “Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains that victory.”

General Patton earned the moniker Bood and Guts in World War II.  As a warrior he was feared, as a political figure he was controversial.  But I think he might have truly understood that the spirit of courage and leadership is inherent in the service of Veterans.

You are examples of how courage and leadership leads to service.

Our country has a proud history of military service.  Thirty years before Christopher Stone would settle our village, more battles in the Revolutionary War were fought in New York than in any Colony.

When the deep divide over slavery challenged our country and its constitution in 1860, the Civil War secured our Union, and this time with the ultimate sacrifice of more than 30  young men from Springville and Concord.

The monuments we have built around us here in Shuttleworth Park, remind of us of Springville and Concord soldiers who fought and died in the World Wars, the Cold Wars and War against Terrorism in the 20^th Century, and who are fighting today.  But on this day, your presence here at this ceremony is a more vivid reminder.  Your lives, your courage, your leadership, your service to our national security,as well as the sacrifice of your fallen comrades,  is what we honor today.

And we owe another debt of gratitude to you.  You continue to serve your community as members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.  The recent annual Halloween parade is just one example.  You sponsor boy scout troops, you organize this ceremony and the Memorial Day parade to build civic character in our community.  You help the needy in our community.  And most recently, it was your vision and tenacity, which brought the Veteran’s Administration Health Clinic to Springville.  Bringing that level of medical service to our community was no small feat, and our Village and Town will benefit by this particular initiative for years.

So Thank You Veterans for your spirit of courage, leadership, and service that you have shown in your lives.  You make our Village the fine community it is

Walmart defeats Village; Wins Baseball Trophy

Big bats from Walmart found the left field fence time and again to defeat the Village team by a score of 33-14.  The victory brought the  Springville Trophy to Walmart for the first time, and avenged the one run loss at last year’s July 4th Community Baseball game.

Although on the cool side, the Community Picnic was a lot of  fun.  Baseball, hot dogs, music and fireworks brought residents of Springville and Concord together for this annual event.

Gene Hilts & The Rustic Ramblers played the  Country Western music.  SYI opened its refreshment stand.  And Tom Salzler provided the fireworks.  SFD provide the traffic control. It was a great way for our community to celebrate the 4th.

Big bats for Walmart.

CEO Mike Kaleta takes aim for the fence.

Kellie Grube gets a base hit.

And after the game…

Refreshments and music.

And fireworks!

2009 Memorial Day Speech

Thank you Larry.  And a sincere thanks to the VFW, The American Legion, The Auxiliary for organizing this parade and ceremony.

As I watched the audience assemble this morning, what is most impressive is the large number of children who came here on a day off from school to remember the American soldiers who died in service to their country.  One reason we have National Holidays is assure that future generations will never forget what past generations have accomplished.  And it seems that our Springville and Concord community knows this.  For every year, our children are standing five and six deep around this flag, listening and praying about in a memorial to our fallen soldiers.

And so today we memorialize the soldiers who served and sacrificed.

I think Abraham Lincoln was profound at Gettysburg PA in 1863 when he said, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” These words have become famous because they remind us that actions speak louder that words, and this is especially true of patriotism.

And I think we should not just remember famous battles as Gettysburg, and the wars our country has fought in the name of freedom.  General Norman Schwartzkopf, who led the American troops in Operation Desert Storm knew this when he said “It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.”

And so what do we remember about those we memorialize today?  We remember the individual heroism of soldiers.  The heroism that motivated our soldiers to answer a call to service.  The heroism that motivated our soldiers to leave their homes and families to serve us by defending us.  The heroism that is a sense of duty.  We remember the heroism of these men and women, specifically the 56 soldiers who left their homes in Springville area, and did not return.  We remember that they gave their lives that we should continue to live happy, and productive lives,  right here in our town and village.

That sense of duty, that sense of honor, that sense of love for present and future generations is what we need to remember.  And the parade, with the waves and the applause along the way and the music from the marching bands, and the flowers, memorialize soldiers who gave their lives, and taught us how to serve and how to live.

Springville thanks all our Veterans, but today we remember those who gave their lives in service to us all.