Island Dispatch, 2001-03-02

              Island DISPATCH ________ _m_ MiiiMiiiißiiifc»tggM!iiß_- . _>^_^^BM_J!__inS^H^^9__^H^^ElH MARCH 2.2001 24 pages  65c Tiny Twiriers page 14 56 Years As the Voice of Grand Island Award Winning Newspapers The Official Newspaper of the Town of Grand Island and the Grand Island School District Blood Brothers page 3 Pajama Party page 10 Vol. 56 No. 44 (716)773-7676 | Town Engineer Phillips honored for service by Christopher Marquis Grand Island Town Engineer John Phillips was honored yesterday for his many years of service to his community. Phillips was named Public Works Leader of the Year for the Western New York Chapter of the American Public Works Association. The annual award is given to those whose cumulative work has greatly benefited the public. "I think it's kind of humbling to be honored by my peers who are doing the same job .I'm' doing " •Vi'ilsps told the Dispatch. "It's ;<>'to be recognized by them for . work I do." "He's a tremendous boss," said John Whitney, who also works in the Grand Island Engineering department. "He's very conscientious."Supervisor Peter McMahon agreed, telling the Dispatch, "In my brief experience, I've found that he's very well-respected." Phillips's career with the Town of Grand Island began in March 1975. Projects that he has been involved in include the Grand Island Memorial Library, Veterans' Park, and highway improvements. He identifies as his biggest accomplishment the development of the town's water system during his years of service. Townwide water system improvements during Phillips's time have included water plant expansion, a 3 million gallon storage facility, new raw water intake, and on-going waterline replacement projects. He was also Martin's Fantasy Island receives new thrill ride Martin's Fantasy Island, 2400. Grand Island Blvd., will open a new thrill ride this summer that whisks riders, up and down a 140 foot tower and generates intense Gforces."This ride will appeal to our regular family audience as well as older teens," said owner Martin DiPietro, The attraction will cost more than $1 million to build and should be open in time for. Memorial Day crowds. The name of the new ride has not been decided as yet and is known generically as the Sling Shot. The Sling Shot is the newest main attraction at the park since the $3 million wooden Islanders support refugees by Heath Part 4 (culmination) Her father was a colonel in the army. After the coup, Ms name was broadcast over the radio as one of five military officers that were wanted by the new regime. The family scattered. That was the Bth of June, 1997. Four days later Winnie Boyah was in Gambia," in the.midst of a turmoil most of us will never have a true concept of. Winnie went straight to work, volunteering for United Nations High Commission for Refugees. She worked in many aspects with UNHCR from distribution of food to reorganizing the Gambia offices' filing system. Almost a year to the day of her flee for her life from Sierra Leone, Winnie Boyah landed in Buffalo on June 10, 1998. Within a few months she was gainfully employed at Fujisawa Health Care on Grand Island and was attending college at D'Youville. "I have always worked, back home, in Gambia it has been a way of life to work," Boyah said with a smile. "People should know that all Sierra Leonians that come here want to work. They want to make a contribution to the society they are now a part of. We do not want to depend on anyone, it is not in our nature." ■ With a chuckle, Winnie Boyah begins to tell me of the first time John Harbison tried to teach her how to drive. "He is a very brave man, the first time I drove over the bridge, oh, such a brave man John Harbison," her tone a combination of laughter and deep appreciation. Boyah makes the point that there were not enough people available, or of the mettle, to help her log the hour required to gain the experience to pass her drivers test. As a result she went "to a driving school. Driving aside, Boyah has found the Kids collect food for the needy by Christopher Marquis AbiHil ro ni;:h M-innil .mo :ind !i< >>e,ri->ol students ;.;t>: together lait Sii'idav io help Mie  f'nuiiiljiiiin replenish its lond puntr\ m the "Ii! M. SrephiMi's Cliiiieh hirldiiii'. l--'i 2 '•■'- houi". ihe k;d" wen! lim-: lo .Id-i. .iiki'i;: (-und Ukiiiiiei" in d-i:i.;ie n.in pot ■ •>h.ihl.' i-"d ileus* !"! il'.e I'liniiv. \.hnh i> u->ei! :> "i.'iv !'••_ I'll need;. k-.mil'.O". Aec'iJin;; :o liank Kjinmeiei v! ilk" [oi.iilJ.sli'Ul. tin.- -upplie." in tin p_H'\ h.id !.:IL"ii during ;he v i:ii.-r :ii.-iii'is "'\fiei f'liii-.mi.i". .\e Ik'd i:i"ie . .ill" ■ il :i:e !■ ■ il P.Till i dki'i -r 'lie la*t ciiipic if " he m!il il:c /',y/i(.i< '; The -,iudi'n<-, mo-l ■■'! whrnii \u:>-wi:h iln- Si. Stephen's Vwil'. iiriiup. \ii»rkod lo iik i .-ji-sv.- :he tin.l >lilipl\ Wi'iV .il'lc i''1 ili'iVl ]!)(;■') ivini in in-.! une ,ifii-iiu> in'-. \i.Mk W'u-ii M .ill li-ul hc-n *vilee!- vilee!-vii. Hie k-..h iheil helped •■) "-id ik 1....d "I he kill" Plli .!" I'.i.r. ill ':i-.id -h:i:K'." -Hi! K.Ui'.l'-i-e'i : "i ii..::!'-eiij-.iu'd "ec'iiu k'is ii<» dc v..',\ I iie\ ujiii :.'> i : 11U- n R.iiiimeiei h:J e\pl.iu:ed !■' ii' ■ slliiis'iil'. ill M iileie velc "■ ilk :.ii". . :;,..■>. ..|i i|'e I-i.s:_' •.-.!""' '.e:e HELPING HANDS - Junior high and high school students spent a Surrinv afternoon collecting lood (or the needy m an Island-wide tood drive. (Pnoto courtesy of Joanne Stillfcr.' FOR SAFE KEEPING - After working to get the food, the students then sorted the items and packed them into the pantry of the old St. Stephen's Clvin1" b_,f':rr ("hofi "f •ot1~9 St'iior "i  continued on page 2 continued on page 2 continued on page 2 i-iiiilinuid t/ii /»«t:«'-' Weekend at a Glance Friday LENTEN FISH FRY St. Stephen's Church, 2100 Baseline Rd., 5 to 7 p.m. with early bird admission for seniors beginning at 4:30 p.m. Saturday 11TH ANNUAL BOATER'S SEMINAR AND LUNCHEON Buffalo Launch Club, 503 East River Rd., registration 9:30 a.m., program 10 a.m., and buffet lunch noon to 1 BOOK DROP Grand Island Memorial Library, j 1715 Bedell Rd., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. K THE FUSION OF DESIGN /£g\ & TECHNOLOGY™ Vg/ . "The Keys To Your Satisfaction." P^^^S^^^^^^S^^^^Sl 634-41.1111 4130 Sheridan Dr. Williamsville, NY 14221 Your Advertising Message car* he Placed Here!