Category: PostEvents

I will never forget the first time that I heard that restored carillon bells ring out at First Presbyterian Church. It was just before the blizzard. I was walking my dogs down Ashland Avenue when I heard them chime for the first time. It was remarkable. It was then that I grabbed my cell phone and called Barbara O’Neill, chief orchestrator who made the restoration project possible.

“I just heard them chiming on Ashland, near the corner of Bryan… loud and clear,” I told Barbara. “It was amazing to hear them. I can’t believe that I’ve lived in this neighborhood for decades, and finally understand how important they are!”

As I listened to the bells, I though about Barbara telling me that the neighborhood relied heavily upon the bells in the past, well before people carried cell phones with them everywhere they went. The bells would signal to children that it was time to come home at the end of the day. They would remind people that it was time to have lunch, or meet up with a friend, or run an errand. The bells were a loyal and constant reminder that schedules were being met, and life was going according to plan. The bells were also a source of comfort for many people who were reminded that their neighborhood church was always close at hand.

When I first heard the bells chime, I was not aware that we were about to get slammed with a generational blizzard. I knew that we were in store for a storm, but had no idea the magnitude. While the blizzard was certainly unforgettable, there was something that kept me grounded throughout – the chiming of the carillon bells. As the winds ripped, and the flurries blew sideways, each hour I could hear the bells chime in the distance. I never thought that the sound of those bells would be as comforting as they were. It was almost like a dream, hearing them sound off. It was also as if they had, somehow, always been there. As I sit here and write this, I can’t even believe that this source of inspiration has been missing almost my entire life… something so simple… something that so many other people once took for granted.

I also thought about how sad the day must have been, for so many people, when the sound of the carillon bells ceased (the day the music died). That was 30 years ago! No wonder not many people understand their importance. Back in those days, the bells were considered “an audible beacon in zero visibility snowstorms.” And here they were again, grounding me, and others, by offering a sense of security… a sense of normalcy during a storm that was anything but normal.

This morning, Barbara reached out to me, to tell me that others living in the West Side felt the same way that I did. She also told me that she never could have guessed that their symbolic magnitude would be realized in such a short period of time.

“When I came back to Buffalo in 2012, the one thing I wanted to do was to get a carillon back in that tower,” Barbara told me. “The memory of the bells, when I was young, was very specific during snowstorms. It snowed all the time back then [laughing]. The 5 o’clock bells signaled that it was time to come home for dinner. Even if there was a storm, I always knew where I was , because of the bells. They would guide me. During the 2022 blizzard, people were home for an extended period of time. I have had numerous messages saying that the bells offered a great deal of comfort. It’s precisely what I had hoped for – to provide a beacon for the neighborhood – a neighborhood that is built upon history and music.”

For me, the carillon bells do represent hope. At the same time, just thinking about the 30 years of silence leading up to this point is a bit disheartening. I can’t even imagine – three decades ago – when the bells went silent. To think that something that was such a constant sense of solace had been silenced. And for many people, they never heard those bells ring out again. I consider myself lucky to be able to hear them for the first time. I also feel a sense of sadness for the lost time. That loss reminds me of seeing the giant bell at St. Mary’s on the Hill (on Niagara Street), which sits at the foot of a parking lot, where the church once stood. The community fought to save the church, and I watched as they tore it down. The silence of that bell will be a constant reminder of what could have been.

Thankfully, we have people like Barbara who led the charge to restore the carillon bells at First Presbyterian Church. Unlike St. Mary’s on the Hill, the bells will now ring out, loud and clear, as a reminder of this city’s triumphant gains and tragic losses. The bells also signal that there is more work to be done at First Presbyterian Church. There are still fundraising efforts underway to restore the tower (it has been stabilized) and repair the roof. The bells will be a constant reminder of the importance of preservation. Without the community’s support leading up to this point in time, that tower might not even be standing – just think of the gale force winds of the blizzard.

Thomas O’Neill (Barbara’s dad), Jeff Z. Klein and friends listen to the bells

“The tower was a beacon during the storm,” Barbara told me. “I never thought in a million years that it would play such an important role in such a short period of time. The bells first rang out on Tuesday, and the storm hit on the weekend. Now I’m hearing the stories from so many people, about how the bells are already playing a significant part in the role of the neighborhood, once again.”

Sometimes you never stop to think that something has been missing in your life, until it’s suddenly there. That’s how I feel about the carillon bells at First Presbyterian Church, which I can hear ringing in the distance. If you haven’t heard the bells, you will some day – whether they are chiming at the top of the hour, or playing a full concert. For me, the bells are magical. I hope that there will never come a day when they are silenced again. They are, once more, a reminder of the wonders, and the fragility, of this city.

*As I wrote this article, from approximately 10am to 11am this morning, I could hear the carillon bells sounding off in the distance at two distinct times. When I hear them for a third time, it will be time for lunch.

*Listen to the bells ring on Facebook

Online donations can be made at the First Pres website or checks can be mailed to One Symphony Circle 1 Symphony Circle Buffalo, NY 14201. (One Symphony Circle, Inc.)

The post Carillon Bells are a Beacon During the Blizzard appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

This week Buffalo Rising is counting down the “Most Read” articles in the areas of Real Estate + Development, Bars + Restaurants, Arts + Culture, and Social Media. We hope this series helps reacquaint our readers with all the awesome new and evolving businesses in WNY.

Did you catch these the first-time around?

Leave us a note below and add any additional stories that caught your attention. 

12. Jacks Corner Café – A Slice of The Island Life in Buffalo

Published March 9, 2022

When Leah Alles and Joseph Diaz Aleman first opened their dream café (and side cart) on a Caribbean island named Vieques (off Puerto Rico’s eastern coast), they never could have imagined what was in store for them. First it was a hurricane, and then it was the pandemic. Their business, Rising Roost, was one of the only café offerings of the island of 7000 people. Their business was almost completely tourist-driven, which all but dried up after the two tragic occurrences….read more

11. The Blueberry Treehouse Farm’s New Treehouse Café

Published July 12, 2022

You might expect to find a treehouse café in Bali, Malaysia, or Costa Rica, but surprisingly, there is a sublime Treehouse Café retreat right in our own backyard.

This past Thursday, The Blueberry Treehouse Farm and Buffalo Treehouse cut the ribbon on the farm’s Treehouse Café. Already the the talk of the town, the Treehouse Café is capturing the imaginations of people throughout the region, who are scrambling to get a glimpse of the treetop spectacle in West Falls, NY….read more

10. Crazy Good Eatz – Artisan Soup Restaurant

Published August 10, 2022

Shetice Jackson has been a chef her entire life. She cooked throughout high school, and then she attended Emerson Vocational High School for Culinary Arts, where she graduated first in her class. From there, she graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Her experience includes being a sous chef for a number of restaurants, working for Emeril Lagasse at the MGM Grand Hotel, and earning her bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from SUNY Buffalo State. She also did an 8-year stint as chef-instructor of Campus House – a teaching laboratory – on the grounds of SUNY Buffalo State….read more

9. Streetlight Brasserie

Published August 31, 2022

The former Oshun restaurant (5 E Huron Street) is getting a drastic makeover, as it transitions to Streetlight Brasserie. To that end, owner Danny Lettieri (co-owner of Savoy in Allentown) has retained the builder-designer services of Brian Wilcox (Wilcox Design Division of RP Oak Hill Building Company) to create a dramatic new look for the restaurant, which will feature seating cubbies, 32’ of butcher block counters for a new bakery area, a custom Champagne and whiskey display, a Chuck Tingley mural, and greenery galore. Lettieri has embarked upon the project with partners Nina Lettieri, Cari Lettieri, and Matt Milano….read more

8. The opening of Bidwell – “A different kind of restaurant in Buffalo, NY”

Published January 18, 2022

Bidwell is the brainchild of Matt and Courtney Gunther, who initially came up with the idea for a 12-seater restaurant in Buffalo when they were living in NYC (see back story). At the time, they were experimenting with a dinner club concept in their apartment, which proved to be a big hit with their friends and acquaintances. So much so, that they decided to run with a similar concept upon moving/returning to Buffalo. Instead of an apartment however, they opted to build out a swank restaurant at 242 Allen Street….read more

7. Taisho Bistro opens on Hertel

Published August 2, 2022

Taisho Bistro has opened its third location on Hertel Avenue. It’s the largest restaurant out of all three, occupying the building that was once Mac’s, and Empire Grill before that. This newest Taisho Bistro is more reminiscent of the Sheridan Drive location, in that it has a full liquor license. The Rochester location serves beer and wine….read more

6. Parivaar, on Elmwood

Published July 21, 2022

The former Acropolis Restaurant building on Elmwood Avenue is under new ownership, and has a new tenant. Priya Rathod will be opening an Indian cuisine restaurant that will be unlike other Indian establishment in the area. Indian food lovers are readily aware that local restaurants specializing in Indian cuisine embrace dining experiences that are primarily based on family-style seating and buffets, with little attention payed to decor and ambiance. That’s fine for people who are looking to simply eat tradition Indian meals, but for those who have been hoping for more of a “big city” Indian dining and drinking experience, Parivaar will be that place….read more

5. Nowhere Lounge

Published May 31, 2022

Buffalo was once home to plenty of classic lounges. You know, the cozy ones with padded bar rails, chock full of colorful character. While there may be one or two that remain, most have drifted away, shuttered, demolished, revamped, or burned to the ground.

As a sign of respect for the lounges of yesteryear, Jason and Julie Wood are in the process of opening Nowhere Lounge at 3115 Delaware Avenue in Kenmore. I met up with Jason, who told me that this labor of love will be the culmination of all of his bartending accomplishments over the years. From starting as a bar-back runner and then manager at Vera, to helping to run the show at Misuta Chow’s, Jason has worked at some of the hottest establishments in Buffalo, alongside some of the best drink slingers in the business….read more

4. Buffalo Kitchen Club Opens to Lively Fanfare

Published October 14, 2022

The long-awaited opening of The Buffalo Kitchen Club has finally arrived. This past Saturday, Raelean McGee, her husband Shawn, and brother-in-law Stanley Booker, opened the doors to the establishment that is a culmination of their careers in the restaurant industry, and their love of “feel-good Buffalo food.”…read more

3. See You at Blue Cave

Published September 21, 2022

One of the many reasons that I love the Buffalo is the plethora of mom & pop style restaurants. I tend to gravitate towards the humble, ethnic-oriented restaurants, some of which are found off the beaten path.

In other words, “authentic – a slice of Buffalo life.”

I was recently exploring downtown by bike, with a friend, when we decided to make a final stop at a relatively new Italian eatery called Blue Cave. The restaurant occupies the former Casa Azul – the blue “shipping container” building – on Genesee Street, just around the corner from the Theater District….read more

2. Ulrich’s Tavern – Buffalo’s Oldest Bar is Back in Business

Published March 24, 2022

Buffalo’s oldest bar has reopened.

Ulrich’s’ owner/operator Salvatore “Sal” Buscaglia says that he is excited to get back to the business of running the circa 1868 pub in a limited capacity to start. “I wanted to get the doors open in time for St. Patrick’s Day,” he told me. “We’re starting off with a different dish each week – this week is chili. It’s more about serving bar food and drinks at the moment, while we see how things go. As we get busier, we can introduce more days and hours, and different menu items. I’m in the process of seeing what types of food will be popular here. In the meantime, it was important to open up the bar, for our customers who have been missing us.”…read more

1. Raising the Bar, with High Violet Cocktail Lounge

Photo by David Mitchell

Published March 31, 2022

Usually, when walking into a new business, I pretty much know what to anticipate. With High Violet, I was caught off-guard.

Last week, I paid a visit to this hidden-away cocktail lounge, which is located down a freshly-laid cobblestone alleyway situated along Elmwood Avenue. Even the idea that a mysterious new alleyway had appeared next to Bureau (made to measure men’s clothing) was enough to intrigue me per the possibilities that lay ahead. But once inside, any preconceived notions that I might have had were quickly washed away, as I found myself standing in what looked to be a completely foreign, decadent European setting that was unlike anything that I had ever come across in Buffalo….read more

The post 12 most read stories about restaurants and bars in 2022 appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Just days before Christmas, Buffalonians could not even begin to imagine what would transpire in the next coming days. White out conditions, upwards of 43″ of snow, leaving many Western New York residents in an absolute fight for survival.

In the past, we all joked about the snow globe that is Buffalo, but this week residents everywhere are grappling with the bitter and harsh realities that are resurfacing just days after this once-in-a-lifetime natural disaster.

I am not surprised to see my newsfeed now filled with story after story of neighbors helping each other dig out from the mess because it’s true that there are no people on this planet quite like those that make up the city of good neighbors. And it’s clear now more than ever that the superheroes that make up our city are not standing behind podiums in suit jackets, they are those fighting for citizens everywhere in hospitals, ambulances, bulldozers, fire trucks — many are our own neighbors.

Buffalo Rising chatted with partners, Matt and Keith, who happened to both be on duty when the storm hit. They worked close to a 50-hour shift over the Christmas holiday weekend, a similar story for the majority of first responders.

It proved to be taxing in more ways than one, this is exactly the reason the couple entered into the field: to take care of their patients no matter what.

Matt and Keith went to work before the storm hit, dressed in their holiday best – dress shoes, pants and shirts. They work as LPNs at different facilities, Matt works in a hospital and Keith in a senior residence. Little did they know that the next three days they would be unable to get back home to care for their pets, who they thought they would be able to return to after a few hours, and only able to reach loved ones through quick posts on social media, before they had to get back to caring for their patients.

Matt: Keith and I are both new nurses. We graduated from nursing school within the last two years. Within a year’s time, I’ve seen some things that a lot of the people that I’m working with, who’ve been nurses for 20 years, have never seen. I really was thrown into it, but as a nurse, it’s what you sign up for, events like this. Whether it’s the pandemic and then you’ve got a natural disaster like this, this is what we signed up for.

The physical part was easier than the mental part, because we had so many things that were going on. You’ve got a holiday, but then on top of it, you have this storm. So, you’ve got two solid reasons why people are going to be not able to show up (to work). Previously, I had been working 16-hour shifts, you don’t want it to affect the patients, so we just keep going.

Keith: Residents were completely aware of what was going on. They completely understood the situation that we were in. They were like, ‘You’re still here. Oh my God, thank you for being here. Thank you. Thank you for taking care of us. We know how difficult it is.’

They knew what was going on outside, and they were just so thankful to have people there with them. As difficult as it was emotionally and mentally to be there for such an extended period of time, it was really incredible to have those residents that were just so appreciative of the work that was being done for them.

Matt, Keith and their “fur-babies” were gratefully all OK. Keith arrived home a bit before Matt on Sunday, December 25. Exhausted, mentally and physically spent. Only a few hours later, they dug out their driveway, and spent a few hours cuddling with their pets.

One thing is for certain: they will be back to work very soon.

Our city is made up of extraordinary people. A special thank you to all the emergency workers and first responders who put their lives on the line everyday to serve the greater community.

The post Married Nurses each work 50+ Hour Shift During the Blizzard appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

By Michael Gainer

In 2007, when Buffalo ReUse first moved to the East Side and set up its storefront at 298 Northampton Street, we made a commitment to the Cold Spring/Masten Park neighborhood. We committed to provide services to assist residents at the epicenter of the vacancy crisis in Buffalo. We offered workshops, mentored and trained young adults, hosted volunteers from all over the region, and of course offered affordable building materials to assist homeowners in making needed repairs to their homes.

In 2010, though many of the founders were fired from the staff, our commitment to the neighborhood endured. Many of us have started businesses here and purchased homes. Caesandra Seawell developed and managed perhaps the most holistic, inclusive and creative community garden in the city at Pelion Garden across the street from City Honors High School.

Megan McNally, Sarah Fonzi, Russ Reinagel and Kevin Hayes created space, business supports, and educational programming for emerging entrepreneurs at The Foundry.

And I started ReUse Action, to continue our work in the ReUse Industry and train young adults through collaborations with the Outsource Center.

Today, Buffalo ReUse’s role is changing and shifting. The Founders are now its newest Board of Directors, and we are determined to pick up where we left off in 2010, with improving the quality of life for the residents of Masten Park/Cold Spring.

Though our resources are limited, we’re eager to help right now, today, as residents work to overcome the burden of the blizzard.

Today, we’ll be coordinating with Betty Jean Grant and other local community leaders to identify residents in need of emergency plumbing repairs or essential workers who are buried and need assistance to fulfill their roles as public servants.

If you know of residents in distress, please leave a message at 716-218-9401 and we’ll do our best to create a triage list prioritizing the most pressing and urgent needs. This effort will continue throughout the week. As more power is restored, broken pipes and other challenges will likely become evident and we’d like to help if we can.

If you have plumbing skills or a strong back and would like to volunteer with this effort, please message me as well. It takes a village!

CONTACT:
Michael Gainer, Board Chair, Buffalo ReUse
716-218-9401
info@buffaloreuse.org

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please share specifically with your East Side networks. Though we’re committed to the entire Buffalo community in our day to day work, our neighborhood of Cold Spring/Masten Park must take priority at this time.

Photos provided by Buffalo ReUse

The post Buffalo ReUse Offers Assistance During The Blizzard Of 2022 appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Here are our ten most read (shared, commented, reposted) stories on social media in 2022.

Did you catch these the first-time around?

Leave us a note below and add any additional stories that caught your attention. We will be rounding up 2022 in a series of articles over the next week and would love to include a few from our readers.

10. On Niagara: Mint Cocktails & Kitchen

Published on February 24, 2022

Niagara Street will soon be home to Buffalo’s first mojito bar. I spoke up with Bill Breeser, owner of the building at 1225 Niagara Street (corner of Breckenridge), who told me that developments in the neighborhood are picking up speed again, starting with the opening of the new mojito bar called Mint…read more

9. Jemal flips the switch at Hyatt Regency’s Atrium Bar & Bistro

Published on September 10, 2022

Last evening, I stopped over to the Hyatt Regency Buffalo to see Howard Goldman (Lounge Academy) tickling the ivories (5-8 pm every Friday). Not only did I want to listen to Howard play and croon, I also wanted to see the work that was underway at the Atrium Bar & Bistro, which adjoins Starbucks. What I found was very pleasing…read more

8. How Buffalo Fails at Winter

Published on February 24, 2022

I used to think Buffalo knew how to handle winter. I was even proud of it, and boasted of it to my friends from other cities.

But these last couple of winters have proven just the opposite. Buffalo can’t handle the cold and the snow.

In the last few weeks, while Buffalo’s sidewalks and bus stops remained clogged with uncleared snow, we learned that the city government in Syracuse clears sidewalks. Rochester too….read more

7. Ohio Street Beach Bar Planned

Published on May 7, 2022

A beach bar on the river? Yes! Papi Grande’s is planning a “waterfront + beach bar” adjacent to 301 Ohio Street. The Mexican restaurant located at 4276 Maple Road in Amherst announced its plans for a city location on Facebook. The restaurant will be located on the north side of 301 Ohio Street, a five-story mixed-use building located across from Buffalo Riverworks….read more

6. Inaugural Mafia Boat Parade

Published on September 15, 2022

On Saturday, September 17, a Mafia Boat Parade is scheduled to take place. The boat regatta, in support of the Buffalo Bills, is the first of its kind to take place in Buffalo. The idea to host the parade along the Buffalo River was formulated by Ashleigh Dopp who is a member of the Water Buffalo Club 716…read more

5. Coleus and Creatures @ the Botanical Gardens

Published on August 29, 2022

Large as life animals and fantastic creatures – including dinosaur succulent topiaries, a coleus peacock, moss-made dinosaurs, a giant buffalo, a dragonfly, and a shark – can now be found at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens.

These living plant creatures are made from live plants, which allows them to come life in ways that are hard to imagine. Typically, when we imagine a triceratops, brachiosaurus, wooly mammoth, or a giant raptor skull, we tend to think of reconstructed fossilized bones. But not in this case….read more

4. Let’s Welcome JB and his Bake Shop Experience

Published on February 14, 2022

The baking scene in Buffalo is heating up. And now there is a passionate new player in town, whose name is Jason “JB” Gonzalez (JB’s Bakeshop). Since moving to Buffalo a month ago (from Jersey City, NJ), Jason has not only immersed himself into the Buffalo baking scene, he’s also fallen for Buffalo….read more

3. Enchanting Buffalo: 10 Starin Avenue

Published July 20, 2022

For anyone looking for a super unique property, unlike anything else in the city, 10 Starin Avenue might just be for you. This is the property that everyone wonders about as they pass by. The expansive cobblestone driveway is out of this world. It’s like stepping back in time, to an era that predates the overabundance of asphalt that we see today. When people actually cared about creating architecture that would withstand the tests of time, and standards of living….read more

2. On the Market: Brick Bar

Published October 28, 2022

A Buffalo institution is for sale.  Mulligan’s Brick Bar at 229 Allen Street has been an Allentown anchor since 1934.  The circa-1897 building and business are up for sale with a $2 million asking price. The property includes a ten-space parking lot east of the building….read mor

1. BuffaBlo, Lawn Blow-Ups

Published November 29, 2022

Yes, they are finally here. The lawn blow-ups that everyone has been waiting for. These Buffalo-themed lawn ornaments are the perfect answer to spicing up the same old same old when it comes to lawn decorations. We’ve all seen the super tacky blow-ups, and the seasonal ones, but we’ve never had an opportunity to bedazzle our lawns with anything super special, with a Buffalo touch.

BuffaBlo has come to the rescue thanks to creators Brendan Cimerman and his dad, Chris Cimerman….read more

The post Top 10 most read stories on social media in 2022 appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Joe George is a local photographer known on Instagram (@pazbici) and by his website Urban Simplicity. In his profile he describes himself as a chef, photographer, writer, mystic, Interfaith Minister, cyclist, and a INFJ on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator,®.

This maybe the rarest personality type of all. People who received this indicator result from their self-report assessment are known to leave their mark on the world, “they tend to approach life with deep thoughtfulness and imagination. Their inner vision, personal values, and a quiet, principled version of humanism guide them in all things.”

Not surprisingly, Joe indicates that he sees himself, first and foremost, as a human on “Planet Earth.”

Around this time last year, he wrote in a blog post, “New Years Day always seems like a good time to start over, which has different meanings to different people; a time to re-boot (to use today’s parlance). We are one week into the new year and I feel like I need to start over (again). And that is okay, I suppose, we are able to start over each day. That is one of life’s blessings.”

In that same post, he reflected on a visit to St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans where he read a sign:

“Please Maintain An Atmosphere of Reverence.’ It’s a sign—or sentiment—that should be carried with us in our hearts through out our daily lives. It is so easy to forget and very difficult to remember.”

Joe is well known in our local photography community as someone who finds beauty in everyday life. Often his photos evoke that same atmosphere of reverence, and are typically of one lone subject, or often no person at all.

He graciously agreed to share these photos he took during the Blizzard 2022. I offer them to you for your own moment of meditative reflection. Today, I suppose, we start over, as we dig out, venture back into the world, connect in-person with loved ones, mourn those we lost, and continue to search for those who are still not found.

The post Urban Simplicity: Random Thoughts on the Sacred Journey of Everyday Life appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

A historic blizzard hit Western New York on Friday, December 23 after sweeping across the U.S. White-out conditions left many motorists stranded. Thousands of people lost heat and power, which crews still struggle to restore.

Emergency services were completely shut down for a time in the City of Buffalo. Currently, the Erie County Medical Examiner has confirmed 27 local deaths as a result of the Blizzard: 3 were from an EMS Delay; 14 were found outside; 3 were from shoveling/blowing cardiac events; 4 were from no heat; and 3 were found in a vehicle, according to a tweet by County Executive Mark Poloncarz.

On Sunday, December 25 the snow had abated enough to allow residents and road crews to begin the process of digging out from up to 43 inches of snow that had fallen the previous three days. Another 8-12″ is still expected to fall by end of day on Tuesday, December 27.

Two local photographers captured some of the scenes:

Vincent Berbano, South Buffalo

Charlie Abbott, Canalside

The post Digging out from the Blizzard 2022 appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

On Friday, as we realized this was truly going to be a once in a generation snow storm, pleas for assistance emerged online: to help locate a loved one; in need of infant formula; stuck in a vehicle; elderly parent home alone; no ability to reach emergency services – a hive of activity sprung up on social media. 

Warm and comfortable, I sat helpless on my couch, unable to tear myself away from texting friends and family, listening to the news and weather, and refreshing my social media channels. 

I sat there hour after hour just scrolling through the metaverse. They call this action “doom scrolling.” Cries for help began to overwhelm my feeds.

Mr. Rogers said, when I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

Almost as soon as the posts appeared, people from every corner of the community started to respond – to help organize, to try and connect loved ones, to share resources, and post contact information for government sites.

People used sites like Next Door and Reddit: Buffalo Blizzard Mega Thread 2022 to connect. Soon new Facebook Groups were formed, like Blizzard 2022 which now has more than 60k members.

Anonymous moderators created threads and organized people sometimes block by block, because that was as far as people could travel. Snow mobile groups formed to attempt citizen rescues. I read a story of a family trapped in a car, people were able to locate them and bring them to safety. I refreshed the post, and went back to check, just to make they were ok.

I walked outside to briefly let the dogs out, a seagull was down on the ground not moving. After the dogs were safely secured, I grabbed the frozen gull, wrapped him close to me and made a cove under my porch with some burlap from the garage. Nestled in out of the wind, I said a silent prayer that it was enough.

When I went back inside, I joined that Facebook group. The first post I saw was a woman who happend to be just a few blocks from me. She was afraid she would run out of dog food and needed a special kind because her pet had an allergy. The post was flooded with friendly advice, however, it just so happened that my dog had the same allergy, and I had an extra bag. 

We coordinated on messenger, the next morning there was a break in the storm. She and her boyfriend were able to safely walk to my house, and as we lifted the 30lbs bag over a 4’ drift, I could see relief. It was one small gesture. I was no longer just scrolling, I was a helper.

My next door neighbors were out, they needed gas. I had a full can that I did not need, so I handed that over another bank of snow. As my uncle, who was in from Austin TX for the holiday, was hand shoveling my driveway, three neighbors (more helpers) with snow blowers came over and cleared the apron. 

It reminded me of a poem by Emily Dickinson:

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

I have to believe that by the end of this tragedy, millions of small acts will have occurred. And yet, I know that as the days pass there will be more stories that emerge on my social feeds of the many people who were not as lucky as I was, who experienced truly horrific circumstances. My heart breaks for them, I know there are thousands of hearts breaking around our community, but there are also people working hard to ease the aching just the smallest bit.

Here’s a shout out to all the helpers for truly making this the City of Good Neighbors.

The post Finding the Helpers in the City of Good Neighbors appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

This Christmas our area received an unwanted gift in the form of a once-in-a-generation blizzard. Warming shelters across the county opened their doors. We have compiled a list to help those who are still in need. In addition to these warming centers, the county has a non-emergency line, 858-SNOW (7669), which would include requests for transport to dialysis – and requests for information.

Buffalo
Harbor House – 241 Genesee St.
Code Blue Shelters – Holy Cross – 412 Niagara St. and 586 Genesee St.
St. Luke’s –  325 Walden Ave

City of Buffalo Residents: If you are in need of an alternate warming center, please text your zip code to 898-211 or call 211.

Akron
Akron/Newstead Senior Center – 5691 Cummings Rd

Alden
Crittenden Fire Dept – 13415 Genesee St
Milgrove Fire Dept – 11621 Genesee St
Town Line Lutheran Church – 1159 Town Line Rd

Amherst
Amherst Youth Center – 5005 Sheridan Rd

Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga Senior Center – 3349 Broadway St

Elma
Elma Community Center – 3007 Bowen Rd
Jamison Road Fire Hall – 1071 Jamison Rd

Hamburg
Hamburg Senior Services – 4540 Southwestern Blvd

Marilla
Marilla Community Center – 1810 Two Rod Rd

North Collins
Langford-New Oregon Volunteer Fire Hall – 3901 Langford Rd

Orchard Park
Orchard Park Middle School – 60 S Lincoln Ave

Town of Tonawanda
Brighton Firehall – 50 Jamaica Rd
Hoover School – 249 Thorncliff Rd
Kenilworth Fire Hall – 84 Hawthorne
Senior Center – 291 Ensminger
Sheridan Park Building – 169 Sheridan Parkside
Sheridan Park Fire Hall – 738 Sheridan Dr

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

The post Warming shelters remain open to help get through the cold appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

I’m on my West Side porch building a snowman
trying to celebrate the Bills clinching the division 

but there are at least two confirmed deaths right now
and probably more in the coming days
so many without power, others stranded in vehicles 
on impassable roads, everybody stuck in the cold

I’m also thinking about how this is my first Christmas
without my dad, how his lungs walked off the job
how my mom’s been crying 
reliving his death while listening to WBEN 
on the little red transistor radio
because she heard this story about a guy with COPD
trapped in his home and his oxygen is running out

when I finish my snowman, I pick up a blown off branch
and write 17 on his cold chest
I shout, “Josh Allen please save us” at the blizzard
at the power grid
at everything that makes us weep and feel unalive 

then the wind hugs me a little too tightly
and I can hear snow globes all across Western New York
cracking open, how I imagine that mural on Main Street
coming to life
Josh Allen with a goat’s head stiff-arming a Green Bay player

how Josh hops off the wall and begins stiff-arming
storm clouds away from Buffalo, a warming shelter on two legs
running from Northtowns to Southtowns melting snow
delivering insulin and filling gas tanks 

it’s important to believe in something
in anything, how when we’re down and out
we have to improvise to make it through any storm
it’s what we do here, we stiff-arm 
until we’re right where we need to be

when I come to, I head back inside
my mom has stopped crying
and is now wearing that little red transistor radio around her neck
she looks relieved
apparently, a neighbor rescued that guy with COPD 
“I’m so glad he’s gonna be okay,” she tells me as we hug
it feels like a resurrection

I head to the kitchen to brew some coffee
and when it’s ready, I don’t drink it at first 
I just smell it because it makes me think of morning
how even darkness must pass, and a new day will come
how flowers always know when to bloom
how we must always remember 
those flowers that won’t be able to

once I’m caffeinated, I’m outside again 
surveying the wreckage when this teenager walks by the house
clutching a shovel, he points it at me like we’ve all been chosen
and says, “We gotta do what we can”
I look at Josh Allen the snowman 
and it’s like he’s smiling at me, at all of us

let’s just say it doesn’t matter how many frostbitten diamonds
this Christmas blizzard drops onto our neighborhoods
because in our Buffalo hearts
there are never any downed powerlines
there’s always an electric flow of empathy
and when the going gets tough, we help each other out
mixtapes with roots that never end 
because we share the same stiff-arming song:
the city of good neighbors

This poem was was inspired by wheatpaste artwork of Josh Allen (The GOAT), stiff-arming a Green Bay Packers player | Photo by Glenn Murray

The post We Stiff-Arm the Blizzard of ‘22 Like Josh Allen appeared first on Buffalo Rising.