By DIANE R. CHODAN
OBSERVER Staff Writer
SINCLAIRVILLE - Marna Wolaver of Sinclairville has been busy during January and February. She has been spending time in the Sinclairville Library and the Cassadaga Legion and her own residence, Charlotte Villa I, encouraging people to make valentines. She will be distributing the finished cards to veterans in Cassadaga, in the County Home and at the VA Hospital in Buffalo as well as to senior citizens who receive Meals on Wheels or attend the luncheon site in Sinclairville.
Article Photos
OBSERVER Photo by Diane R. Chodan
From left: Maria Aviles and Sha-miela Smith, CNA students at Cassadaga Job Corps, use a variety of materials to construct valentines. The valentines will be distributed to veterans and also to those who receive Meals on Wheels through the Sinclairville site.
The VA site is new this year, and they will be taking 150 valentines. Meals on Wheels takes about 100, the luncheon site 40, the county home 30. The Legion will also give Wolaver a list.
Wolaver was born in the area, lived elsewhere and then returned to the area several years ago. For a time she lived in Randolph and constructed valentines there for four years.
"I have been doing this project in the area for three years," she said.
The project is time-intensive, but not expensive. Through word of mouth, Wolaver gets donations of excess wall paper, construction paper, stickers, paper doilies, wrapping paper, crepe paper and ribbon. She stores everything in one plastic container that she totes with her to the various sites. She is not looking for donations of materials, except maybe doilies, but she does want to recognize the various groups in the community who contribute to the success of her efforts.
Wolaver said, "At the Legion in Cassadaga the members of the cub pack that meets there had a great time making valentines."
The Sinclairville Library has given her space at their facility several days in January and February. Library patrons can come in and create a valentine or several valentines in a pressure free environment. One day, several students (and one graduate) from Cassadaga Valley Central School, Tiffany Mosier, Chelsea Mosier, Steve Penhollow and Kaitlyn Rose sat at a table working and joking.
Another day, several Job Corps students, coincidentally from the CNA program, volunteered to come to the library. Staff member Betty Ridout transported them. Alayasia Martin, Gerline Andre, Maria Aviles, Sha-miela Smith and Stephanie Pagan all spoke about their desire to help other people and to make people happy.
"I like to help people," said Gerline Andre while working on a valentine. "Everyone deserves to be happy."
While the Job Corps students were there, Cathy Kahle and her son Alex, 5, were working on valentines at another table. Cathy wrote Happy Valentine's Day and Alex signed his name and thought about where stickers should go on his creation.
"I'm making a valentine for my grandpa," he said.
Lauri Nickerson, an adult library patron, sat at another table and patiently created a number of valentines.
"We're a community center," Library Director Beth Hadley said. "Different types of activities go on."
Hadley was complimentary about the Job Corps students.
"They have come here before to work on this project," she said. "In addition, they help us with our annual book sale. They are wonderful volunteers and we enjoy having them come."
Wolaver enjoys her project because so many groups can participate and get involved.
"I've had one woman in my residence come down and work on valentines patiently. Anyone can help."
Comments on this article may be directed to dchodan@observertoday.com
