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Butler, Black Rock Historical Society Thursday, September 17, 2026 • • 5

recognized for cultural excellence

By Amber Healy
he Black Rock Historical
Society, and Executive Di-
Trector William Butler,
were honored during Saturday’s
Heritage 250 Festival and Parade
for their contributions toward cel-
ebrating and preserving Erie
County’s history.
A total of 250 individuals and
organizations were recognized for
their work and were invited to
march in the 88th Annual Pulaski In & Out Tires
Day Parade Saturday, part of the
larger festival in Depew.
“Your nomination reflects the
important contributions you have
made through your service, lead-
ership and commitment to cultural
excellence,” according to a letter
dated September 3, addressed to
Butler. “This recognition honors (corner of Ontario St.)
individuals who have furthered William Butler, Emily Jarnot of Preservation Buffalo Niagara
the mission of their cultural orga- and Congressman Tim Kennedy.
nizations, demonstrated outstand-
ing service to their cultural ning off to become its own entity He’s grateful for the recogni-
in 2019. tion and thanks Rep. Kennedy for
community or the broader com-
munity, strengthened cross-cultur- The award recognizes the his- his longstanding support of the
torical society’s “body of work,” Historical Society.
al relationships through their
leadership and interactions, or not just the handful of events “Tim Kennedy has been a real
scheduled in commemoration of (strong) supporter of us,” Butler
contributed to the overall well-be-
ing of Erie County and Western the nation’s 250th anniversary. says. “He was involved in the in-
New York.” “It’s everything, it’s (for) our ser- stallation and funding of the Feni-
Those honored were selected vices that we provide in the com- an Monument at the foot of Hertel.
in recognition of the country and munity, our speaker series, He’s always invited to our com-
Erie County’s 250th anniversa- maintaining our collection, our memorative events and he was
ries, according to the letter, and special events like we had a cou- there for the 125th anniversary,
chosen by the General Pulaski As- ple weeks ago,” Butler said, refer- when we had the Lord Mayor of
sociation, the New York State encing the August 29 event at the Dublin and the Council General
250th Commemorative Commis- former Precinct 13 on Austin for Ireland in New York at our
sion, Erie County and Congress- Street in Black Rock in which the parade.”
man Tim Kennedy” to best assassination of President William The recognition, coming after
represent the groups and individu- McKinley by anarchist Leon the successful McKinley event
als “whose dedication and leader- Czolgosz was discussed, complete and before this fall’s speaker se-
ship have made a meaningful with an actor portraying Czolgosz ries -- and the October 10 fund-
impact on our cultural communi- reading the assassin’s statement to raiser concert at the Showplace
ties and on Erie County and West- police from 125 years ago. Theater -- is “reaffirming that
The Black Rock Historical So- we’re doing some good work on
ern New York.”
Butler wanted to share the ciety began in 2011 as a commit- historic preservation (and) history
tee before being incorporated as education,” Butler says. “It’s a
honor with his many volunteers
who have helped establish and an independent not-for-profit or- good incentive to keep up the
ganization in 2019, later receiving work. Our volunteers and the
continue the work of the Black
Rock Historical Society, original- its charter from New York State as community that supports us is
an educational corporation, Butler what makes it all work.”
ly a committee of the Black Rock
Riverside Alliance before spin- says.

Eight Autumn Outdoor Power Equip-

ment Tips to Avoid Headaches Later

Once the grass gets its final cut
and the leaves are handled, it’s
time to swap out the lawn mower,
blower, and trimmer for the snow
thrower, generator, and chainsaw.
The Outdoor Power Equipment
Institute (OPEI) says handling
equipment this fall sets the stage
for when the weather turns colder.
“A little prep now means less
stress – and fewer repair bills –
later,” sums up Kris Kiser, OPEI
President and CEO of OPEI, an
international trade association
representing manufacturers and
suppliers of outdoor power equip-
ment, small engines, battery pow-
er systems, portable generators,
utility and personal transport vehi-
cles, and golf cars. 2. Service before storage. Do keep them away from metal, and
Here are OPEI’s eight quick all maintenance as directed by the store in a climate-controlled space.
tips for getting ready for fall owner’s manual. Clean, change 5. Keep gear sheltered. Store
equipment storage and winter oil, swap filters, and handle any summer equipment where it’s
weather: repairs before parking summer clean and dry. Keep winter gear
1. Follow the manual. Re- gear. Give winter equipment a handy but out of the weather.
view the manufacturer’s guide and once-over, too. 6. Clear the way. Make space
follow all safety steps – especially 3. Manage fuel smartly. Be in the garage or shed now. Re-
how to shut down equipment sure to run tanks empty before move yard debris, toys, and other
quickly. Never disable or remove storage. For winter equipment, use hazards from the yard before tree
safety features. fresh fuel (most engines run on no leaf piles or snow hide them.
more than 10% ethanol), add sta- 7. Be generator-ready. Stock
bilizer according to manufactur- heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords
er’s guidelines, and use fuel long enough to run your generator
within 30 days. at a safe distance from the house.
4. Charge and store batteries Never operate indoors or near
correctly. Fully charge batteries, openings.
8. Keep what’s most impor-
tant inside. When operating any
outdoor power equipment, kids
and pets should be indoors and
supervised.
For more on safety, visit
OPEI.org.

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