Attractions & Events : Complete Gus Macker Olean Schedule

Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball, America's largest outdoor basketball tournament celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2008, will be held in Olean August 15-17, 2008. The 3-day event, organized and benefiting both the Olean High School Sports Booster and the Olean City School District Foundation, is open to players of all ages and experience levels who are computer-matched by age, height and experience so that all participants can be competitive. The event, first held in Lowell, Michigan in 1974, is a family festival with food and  music along with  the basketball competition.

The tournament will take place on Delaware Avenue and North Barry Streets in Olean, NY. The tournament, based on basketball played in driveways throughout the U.S., will include players who have no experience to those who have played college and semi-professional basketball. Depending on the number of teams placed in a specific division, players and the teams they’re on will be playing for first- and second- and third trophies. Also teams that finish last in their divisions could receive “Toilet bowl” trophies.

MORE THAN JUST BASKETBALL -- The Gus Macker is more than just basketball. CORPORATE CUP--Olean Gus Macker has scheduled Friday, August 15th as Sponsor Appreciation Day. The Sponsors Corporate Cup, presented by Five Star Bank, is for all sponsors who would like to participate in skill challenges, along with a mini 3 on 3 basketball tourney. The players on your team must be actual employees (or spouse), and consist of 1 female. Sponsors with more than 75 employees can enter 2 teams.

OPENING CEREMONIES -- Saturday, August 16, ceremonies will take place at the top men’s court featuring the national anthem sung by Kirk & Kellen Gilbert, the presentation of the Macker mascot escorted on Louie Magnano’s trike with a parade of Rally in the Valley motorcycles, and the blessings of both the bikes and basketballs. Also, Dr. Colleen Taggerty, superintendent of the Olean City School District will try and make the official DO-OR-DIE Shot. Once the shot is made, the Gus Macker will begin!
KIDZONE--The Olean-Bradford YMCA will be sponsoring a KidZone on Saturday with inflatables, games and face painting. BOCCE and GOLF ZONE--Dr. GreenLawn will be creating a Bocce court and a putting green. Spectators, visitors and players can all play bocce and take a swing on the putting green in between games. MILITARY ZONE-All branches of the military will be on site with things to do during down time -- try out the US Army climbing wall, the US Marines pull bar; and the US Navy football tent. The Air Force and the Air National Guard will be onsite as well with an informational tent. The zone will be located behind the recruiters office on North Barry Street. SPECIAL CONTESTS--Gus Macker players will participate in a Three Point Shot Competition and a Slam Dunk Competition with the rounds taking place Saturday around 6 PM on the Top Men’s Court.

The tournament is proud to recognize five area companies, Park Centre Development, Southern Tier Health Care System, CUTCO/Ka-Bar Visitors Center, Old Library Restaurant, and the Village Green, who have stepped up and become the Charter Founding Members of the Tournament. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact either John Irving (716) 397-8223 or David Carucci at (716) 378-7860.

Shuck, Rattle, and Roll Weekend!!

GUS MACKER OLEAN Schedule:

Friday, August 15

4-7 PM -- TEAM REGISTRATION
4-8 PM -- CORPORATE SKILLS Challenge
5-8 PM -- CORPORATE CUP BASKETBALL GAMES
5:30-7 PM -- THREE-POINT Qualifiers (Session ONE)
6:30-9 PM -- SPONSOR APPRECIATION PARTY

Saturday, August 16

7 AM-Noon -- TEAM REGISTRATION
7:45 AM -- OPENING CEREMONIES
8 AM -- GUS MACKER GAMES Begin (games run until 6 PM)
9 AM -- DREAM COURT GAMES Begin
9 AM -- KidZone Opens (sponsored by the Olean-Bradford YMCA) until 4 PM
9 AM -- BOCCE tournament, PUTTING GREEN contest
11 AM-12 PM -- THREE-POINT Qualifiers (Session TWO)
12-4 PM -- MASCOT Day
2-3 PM -- THREE-POINT Qualifiers
6 PM -- THREE-POINT SHOOT OFF
6:30 PM -- SLAM DUNK COMPETITION

Sunday, August 17

8 AM -- GUS MACKER GAMES Resume (games run until 6 PM)
9 AM -- DREAM COURT GAMES Resume
9 AM -- BOCCE tournament, PUTTING GREEN contest
9 AM-4 PM -- NON PROFIT FAIR
11 AM-5 PM -- As courts finish games, AWARDS will be presented

~nothing but net~

Announcements : Program for Families of People With Mental Illness

Beginning in September, the Cattaragus County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will offer a twelve-week educational program for families and friends of people with mental illness. The program, designed by the organization's national staff, has served over 115,000 people nationwide since its inception.

The program includes information on a variety of issues pertaining to mental illness, including:

•The latest research on the causes, symptoms, and treatment of the major forms of mental illness and the medications used to treat them;

•Strategies for providing supportive and helpful care for people struggling with mental illness, including crisis management;

•Techniques for coping with the personal stresses associated with living or caring for a person with mental illness; and

•Guidance for locating and using local resources that are available to people with mental illnesses.

The program will be led by Laurel Stanley, a therapist with a private practice in Olean who also serves as president of the Cattaraugus County chapter of NAMI, and Etta Walker, who recently retired from a career in public school administration.

The series is open to anyone who has a family member or friend with a serious mental illness. Family members of people who have recently been diagnosed with a mental illness are especially encouraged to attend.

There is no cost associated with the program, but advance registration is required. The deadline for registration is August 20.

The local chapter of NAMI also sponsors monthly support group meetings for the families and friends of people with mental illness. Many participants have found these meetings to be a vital source of information and support as they struggle with the problems caused by mental illness.

To learn more about the upcoming educational program or the monthly support group meetings, contact Laurel Stanley at or lvstanley@gmail.com. Information about the educational program (called "Family-to-Family") can also be found on NAMI’s national Web site at http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Family-to-Family&lstid=605. The NAMI Web site also contains a host of other helpful materials about mental illness.

Announcements :  BIG WHEEL RACE scheduled for RALLY

The Bikes are back in town in August! The Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Olean Motorcycle Enthusiasts are very excited to announce the 6th Annual Rally in the Valley event is scheduled for August 15-17, 2008. The three-day event, held all at one location - Bradner Stadium, is a motorcycle rally with the proceeds from the event benefiting a host of community charities.

New this year, the Rally will be presenting the first “BB” Big Wheel Adult Race, one of three new games. Modeled after races out in California and one just recently held in Cleveland, OH, the Rally will have racers ride on Big Wheels (yep, those plastic ones from back in the day) down the slight incline at the stadium and slalom through three cones.

“The committee always likes to bring new ideas/events/attractions to the Rally. This idea was kicked around and when some of the committee tried it out, they thought it would be a fun retro event to add,” stated Dennis Jones, Rally Co-Chairs. Some of the slate of 16 racers include: Scott Bokman; Mayor David Carucci; Sparky Granger; John Haggerty; EJ Jennings; Dan Jordan; Dennis Jones; Olean Police Chief Terry Schnell; and Public Works Director Tom Windus.

The Big Wheel race will have the first heats of the competition Friday, August 15, from 8:10 -8:30 PM, with the championship round slated for 10 PM. Some of the rules include: Children size big wheels only, no adult size models will be allowed; Side by side heats selected by flip of coin as to lane choice; No outside assistance in form of push or pull; At the bottom of the hill on the flat portion of the course, there will be three cones which will have to be navigated; Big Wheels will be provided by the committee for racers who do not bring their own machines.

For more information on the Annual Rally in the Valley, call Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce at 716-372-4433, visit www.oleanny.com or email tourism@oleanny.com.
GOACC

PHOTOS: Terry Schnell and GOACC Meme Yanetsko await the signal to race. Dan Jordan tries out a balancing technique. Meme, Mayor David Carucci and Dan Jordan show off their bikes. Meme beats the Chief in this test trial.

Announcements : Basketball event info to help all those from here, coming here

Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball, America's largest outdoor basketball tournament celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2008, will be held in Olean August 15-17, 2008. The 3-day event, organized and benefiting both the Olean High School Sports Booster and the Olean City School District Foundation, is open to players of all ages and experience levels who are computer-matched by age, height and experience so that all participants can be competitive. The event, first held in Lowell, Michigan in 1974, is a family festival with food and  music along with  the basketball competition.

LOCATION -- Courts will be positioned on Delaware Avenue and North Barry Street, with food and retail vendors setting up in the Olean Center Mall/Key Bank parking lot. The tournament, based on basketball played in driveways throughout the U.S., will include players who have no experience to those who have played college and semi-professional basketball. Depending on the number of teams placed in a specific division, players and the teams they’re on will be playing for first- and second- and third trophies. Also teams that finish last in their divisions could receive “Toilet bowl” trophies.

POPULATION INCREASE -- Gus Macker Olean is proud to announce that in its first year the tournament has 237 teams registered. That means the City of Olean will expect an influx of at least 5,000 people just at the Gus Macker alone -- 948 players, more than 150 volunteers, plus 3-4,000 spectators, parents, family and friends! This does not include the number of people attending the Olean Bradford YMCA Corn Festival or the Rally in the Valley.

STREET CLOSURES -- Delaware and North Barry will be closed to traffic Friday, August 15. They will reopen late Sunday, August 17. Detours and road closed signs will be posted.

PARKING -- Parking is available in the following locations: Olean Center Mall; lots on Wayne Street; Jamestown Community College (North Union Street and in lots behind campus); and City lots (off West Sullivan). Signs created by students at Washington West Elementary will direct visitors to parking areas.

DUDE, WHERE'S MY COURT (AND MY GAME)? -- The top men's and women’s courts will be at the intersection of North Barry and Delaware Avenue. A full list of brackets and a map is available at www.macker.com/mackertown/Olean_NY/

MEDICAL STAFF -- The medical ‘tent’ will be located in the American Red Cross building on North Barry Street. The medical staff will be available throughout the tournament. The City of Olean EMS will be on site throughout the weekend for transport. Both players and fans are encouraged to stay hydrated through the weekend.

COURT LAYOUT -- Gus Macker Tournament arrives in two semis. Inside are box units with the two hoops coming out either side. It all tears down and everything stores inside the box. Courts are lined with yellow duct tape in a 35- by 35-foot area marked with a take-back line, foul line and a 2-point shot arc. Games are to 15 (win by two) and players must cross the take-back line with two feet after every change of possession. Possession changes after every made basket as well, aka no "winner's ball" rule.

The tournament is proud to recognize five area companies, Park Centre Development, Southern Tier Health Care System, CUTCO/Ka-Bar Visitors Center, Old Library Restaurant, and the Village Green, who have stepped up and become the Charter Founding Members of the Tournament. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact either John Irving (716) 397-8223 or David Carucci at (716) 378-7860.

~nothing but net~

Announcements : Talk on "Mental Illness and the Pursuit of Happiness"

Dr. Charles Walker, professor of psychology at St. Bonaventure University, will give a talk on “Mental Illness and the Pursuit of Happiness” in the Gallery Room of the Olean Public Library next Wednesday, August 13, at 7:00 PM.

The event is sponsored by the Cattaraugus County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a support and advocacy group for the families and friends of people with mental illness. The talk is free and open to the public, and will include ample time for questions and discussion.

“Mental illness is stressful not only for the men and women who are afflicted by it, but also for those who love and care for them,” stated Laurel Stanley, an Olean therapist who serves as president of the local NAMI chapter. “Maintaining a sense of happiness and well-being can be difficult under these circumstances. Dr. Walker’s research on happiness should prove helpful for anyone who finds themselves in this situation.”

Dr. Walker has been doing research for over a decade in positive psychology, a field of study that investigates the factors that contribute to human happiness and well-being. He has shared his research findings at over 90 colleges in the United States and Canada. Dr. Walker is a charter member of the International Positive Psychology Association and an associate editor of the new Journal of Happiness Studies.

Dr. Walker has published numerous chapters on faculty development and vitality in edited volumes published by John Hopkins Press, Jossey Bass, and AAHE, along with many journal articles on rumor and gossip, another of his research interests. Currently he is building a Web site to promote the well-being of students and faculty in higher education.

For more information about this program or about the National Alliance on Mental Illness, contact Laurel Stanley (lvstanley@gmail.com) or Ann Vogt (vogt3@verizon.net).

Announcements : Play the Gus Macker I-86 Trifecta and Win

With the addition of the Olean Gus Macker, Basketball lovers now can enjoy traveling I-86 and playing in three Gus Macker Tournaments - Jamestown, Hornell, and Olean. Gus Macker Olean has created the 3 on 3 by 3 I-86 Trifecta sponsored by Community Bank, NA. The I-86 Trifecta will recognizes players who participate in the 3 tournaments in the Southern Tier: Jamestown (held June 7-8); Hornell (July 26-27); and Olean (August 16-17).

To register, please visit the website, www.I86trifecta.org , created by Mellon & Co. of Olean. Registration is available at all tournaments as well. All registered players will receive an I-86 Trifecta T-Shirt. Team points will be posted on the I-86 web site. John Irving, Gus Macker Olean chair stated, “At the national conference in January, we met the officials from Jamestown and Hornell. Many families/teams travel to many Gus Mackers each year. By showcasing the three sites along I-86, our tournaments may get more participation as well as new teams.” For registration, sponsorships, and marketing information, please contact John Irving at 397-8223 or Meme K. Yanetsko at 372-4433.

SLAM DUNK

Attractions & Events : Home Tour Opens Doors to Support Literacy

The 5th Annual "Tour of Interesting Homes," presented by Literacy Volunteers of Cattaraugus County (LVCC), will be held in Ellicottville on Saturday, September 6, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Take an unhurried, self-guided tour of nine local homes. The tour begins in the newly built Ellicottville Memorial Library at 6499 Maples Road, where registration will take place from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

All proceeds will benefit Literacy Volunteers of Cattaraugus County, an accredited affiliate of ProLiteracy America and Literacy New York and a member agency of United Way of Cattaraugus County.

Since 1969, Literacy Volunteers has been providing free individualized tutoring to adults reading at the lowest literacy levels, pairing each learner with a trained literacy volunteer. Sixteen percent of adults in Cattaraugus County are functionally illiterate, people who cannot read the newspaper, write a check, or read a book to their children. In recent years, Literacy Volunteers has expanded the services and programs it provides to the community and now also offers family literacy programs, peer tutoring, computer tutoring, and English-as-a-second-language tutoring.
Pre-sale tickets for the Home Tour are available for $25 at the Olean Public Library, Ellicottville Memorial Library, and LVCC. On the day of the event, tickets may be purchased in the registration area at the Ellicottville Memorial Library for $30.

There is also a need for volunteers to help with the event. For more information please visit Literacy Volunteers at their office located in the Olean Public Library Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., call (716)372-8627 or e-mail olean1@aol.com.

Business Focus : Databranch Employees Earn New Certifications

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OLEAN – In continuing with their pledge to represent the leaders of the Information Technology market, two employees of Databranch, Inc. have earned new vendor certifications to better serve their clients. Our congratulations and appreciation go out to our following team members for their continuing hard work and dedication!

Joe Leo, Systems Engineer at Databranch in Olean, recently earned his Microsoft Systems Engineer Certification (MCSE). The MCSE credential verifies Joe’s ability to analyze the business requirements for information systems solutions, and to design and implement infrastructures based on Windows Server 2003.


Jim Finch, a Business Systems Consultant at Databranch in Olean, recently earned his Microsoft Systems Administrator (MCSA) and Microsoft Systems Engineer (MCSE) Certifications.

As an MCSA, Jim has the ability to successfully manage and troubleshoot system environments running on the Windows 2003 platform. The MCSE credential verifies Jim’s ability to analyze the business requirements for information systems solutions, and to design and implement infrastructures based on Windows Server 2003.

Announcements : Going Once Going Twice, This Weekend will be Filled with Activities!

GOACC has planned this weekend full of excitement, food and entertainment with two great events: Farm City Days and the Olean Antique Roadshow and Public Auction. Both events will draw a tremendous number of people shopping and looking for bargains, good food or just enjoy being in Olean.

Farm City Days is planned for Friday, August 1 and Saturday, August 2 with hours 9 AM - 7 PM on Friday, and Saturday 9 AM - 5 PM. North Union Street will be opened to traffic. More than 40 retail and non-profits businesses have signed up to participate, most located on North Union Street, with several on State Street as well. A list of vendors is below and available online at www.oleanny.com. Vendors include: 3 DAY Breast Cancer / Cleveland, Ohio, the 4-H Club, American Red Cross, Armond's Fashions, AT&T Communications, AVON / Rice Art, The Back Door Too, BlueCross/BlueShield of WNY, Beauticontrol, Birds Landing, Bistro 188, Bradner's Galleries, Community Bank NA, Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation, Custom Shoe Repair, Delaney Chiropractic, Designer Threads, Discovery Toys, DJ Design Jewelry, Don's Music Shop, Eastern Star, Farming for Fun, Five Star Bank, Funnelcakes, G&G Hot Dogs, Greyhound Rescue Adoption Team, Gus Macker Olean, Harvest Outreach, Hinsdale Colorguard, Hinsdale Heritage, In Focus, Kirk and Kellen Gilbert, Lakeview Farm Alpacas, McCarthy Emporium, Mineo Marketing, Nancy Matthews Benefit, NeighborWorks, On The Side Sub, Paper Factory, Southern Tier Catholic School, Southern Tier Health Care System, Tupperware, and United Way.

Activities and Events that will happen during Farm City Days include on Friday: Wizzy the Clown will be down from 11 AM - 3 PM with facepainting, balloon animals and smiles; the GOACC SANTA SQUIRREL, Nutty O’ Saint Nick will be UNVEILED in Lincoln Park at 12:30 PM; and The Bubbleman, will host his show at the John J. Ash Community Center from 1:30 – 3:00 PM. Doug Rougeux is a full time professional entertainer who has been performing his BubbleMania! show to rave reviews. Saturday will include Farmers Market at JCC-Olean and the United Way Squirrel Hunt. The Hunt will begin at 10 AM and end at 3 PM. Participants will be given a clue, once they reach each destination, they will be given another clue to lead them to the next destination and so on. A card will be given at the beginning to be stamped at each squirrel as well. If the participant successfully completes the hunt, they are entered into a drawing to win prizes. The hunt is free and open to the public.

GOACC, JCC Alumni, and United Auctions & Antiques will also present the OLEAN PUBLIC AUCTION and the OLEAN ANTIQUE ROADSHOW on Saturday, August 2 at the Cutco Theater on the JCC Campus. Antique Roadshow will be 9 - 11:30 AM, with the auction underway at 11:30 AM.

Antique Roadshow -- Top area antique appraisers will be on hand to appraise your antiques, collectibles and furniture. Smaller items can be brought to the theatre, larger items can be appraised from photos (take several different angles). Cost to appraise one item is $5.00, three items appraised for $10.00. Antique & Collectible Auction -- Some of the antiques and collectibles consigned include a Super Oak 2 Piece Stepback Country Store Display Cupboard w/ Drawer Base and Glass Double Door Top (once belonged to NYS Gov. Higgins); Early Country Slant Front Tall Secretary; and a Elaborate Carved Oak Tall Back Rocker w/ Carved Clovers (Orig. from Olean St. Mary’s Church rectory). You can see some of the highlights on the United Auctions web site: www.unitedauctionsandantiques.com/Currentauctions.html. This will be a fun and exciting auction with many surprises. John Sayegh, Chief Operating Officer of GOACC, has consigned several items as well: One Troy Pound .999 Proof Morgan Silver Dollar of 1978, a Saint-Gaudens .999 Fine Silver One Troy Pound, a 1965 Six Canadian Coin Set and many more coin items. You never know who may show up as a guest auctioneer either! Proceeds benefit JCC’s Alumni Association Fund and the Greater Olean Chamber of Commerce projects: Santa Claus Lane Celebration and Allegheny River Valley Trail.

The Olean area also plays host to these great events the same weekend: August 1, 2 -- Heritage Days, Allegany and Joyful Rescues Yard Sale and Petfest, Off Jollytown Road Hinsdale; August 2 -- A parade will be held Saturday featuring the 100th Anniversary of the Southwestern Volunteer Firemen's Convention on North Union Street starting at 5 PM; August 2, 3 -- Street Classics Car Show, Gargoyle Park, Olean; and August 3 -- St. Mary's Byzantine Festival, Fountain Street, Olean.  John Sayegh, Chief Operating Officer of GOACC, stated, "GOACC is pleased with the turnout for both Farm City Days and the Antique Auction. We need activities and events like these to stimulate economic growth and keep downtown Olean lively and vibrant throughout the year.” For more information on Farm City Days or the Antique Auction, please contact Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce at 716/372-4433 or by email events@oleanny.com.

GOACC

Announcements : Macker Officials Extend Deadline

Entries are still being accepted for the FIRST Olean Gus Macker Basketball Tournament. The Olean High School Sports Boosters and the Olean City School District Foundation are calling for visitors, students and community members to sign up for the August 15-17 Gus Macker three-on-three basketball tournament.

Entry deadline for teams interested in this year’s tournament are Friday, August 1 for applications that are submitted by mail AND for internet entries. To register on-line, go to www.macker.com or mail an application to Gus Macker Application, P.O. Box 70, Greenville, Mich. 48838. No faxed application forms will be accepted. The entry fee must accompany the team application, and can be paid by check or credit card. The entry fee for four player teams is $116. The two groups anticipate having over 300 teams and 10,000 spectators from a 100-mile radius to attend the 3-day event and see this as a great opportunity to showcase Olean.

Registrations forms are available at the Olean Family YMCA; Park Centre Development; Village Green; So. Tier Health Care System; Old Library Restaurant; Five Star Bank; Olean General Hospital; City of Olean Municipal Building; Olean Center Mall; Schachter Communications; WPIG-FM Radio Station; Mellon & Co. Tech Services, WMXO-FM Radio Station; Times Herald; Sports Locker, the Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as on the Web at www.macker.com.

The Charter Founding Members of the Gus Macker Olean are Park Centre Development, Southern Tier Health Care System, CUTCO/Ka-Bar Visitors Center, Old Library Restaurant, and the Village Green. Organizers also are looking for volunteers to keep score, serve as referees, assist with water and food distribution, and help set up and tear down. To volunteer or for more information, please contact John Irving (716) 397-8223, David Carucci at (716) 378-7860, or Meme K. Yanetsko at 372-4433.

~nothing but net~