Steve and Helen Baran of Westfield present check to David Momberger, Chairman, Grape Discovery Center Building Committee

WESTFIELD – Helen and Steve Baran, owners of Baran’s Vineyards in Westfield, New York, have demonstrated again their leadership and commitment to agriculture and community through a $20,000 donation to the Grape Discovery Center Building Fund.

Dave Momberger, Building Chairman for the Grape Discovery Center now under development by the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association, announced the generous donation from the Barans. Momberger commented, “This donation provides a great start to our fundraising campaign for the second and final phase of the Grape Discovery Center Project. The official fundraiser kickoff will be on October 28th. A by invitation viewing of the Grape Discovery Center progress will be held for elected and
business leaders from 2- 4 PM that day followed by a 4:30 – 6:30 PM general public viewing. Potential Supporters are most welcome to come for a tour and may attend the late session by submitting an RSVP at www.concordgrapebelt.org.”

Momberger added, “The purpose of the Grape Discovery Center is to tell the 150 yr old story of the Concord Grape Belt. The first phase of its development was initiated with funds obtained by Senator Catharine Young through the Revitalize Upstate New York program. The Center is located at 8305 West Main Road (Route 20) between Westfield and Ripley. The Center is modeled after the Cranberry Discovery Center in Warrens, Wisconsin. The target audience is 50,000 – 75,000 tourists per year who might normally pass through the Lake Erie Grape Belt unaware that they are in the ‘Oldest and Largest Concord Grape Growing Region in the World’. The telling of this story and promoting products made in this area will help to keep our work relevant in the minds of consumers.    These efforts will also help preserve our local grape industry which generates $343 million/yr in direct economic impact to the region.”

Andrew Dufresne, Executive Director of the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association, also had high praise for the Barans. “Helen and Steve are outstanding citizens and leaders in agriculture and community. Helen is the President of our Association, a one hundred and fifty member non-profit organization working for economic development in the Lake Erie Grape Belt. Her passion for the development of a grape center is exceeded by no one”, emphasized Dufresne. ” She also has been a force pushing for the completion of the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Management Plan”, Dufresne added. The plan outlines strategies for tourism development and support for the grape industry. Fourteen grape belt municipalities and the Chautauqua County Legislature recently approved the Management Plan for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation

Steve Baran is the President of Growers Cooperative Juice Company, Inc. and has been Chairman of the Chautauqua County Farmland Protection Board.    He has served on the Cornell Cooperative Extension County Board of Directors, the Lake Erie Regional Grape Advisory Committee, is an active Westfield Rotary Club member, and much more.    For over 20 years Steve has donated an acre of Concord grapes to the Agricultural Department at the Westfield School to help agricultural students become “hands on” with vineyard production and processing.

“The Barans are optimistic folks despite the hardships and challenges faced as farmers”, adds Dufresne. “They are generous, thoughtful and true leaders. We are greatly indebted to them and express our thanks for their contributions and support of the Grape Discovery Center “.

WNED’S “WESTERN NEW YORK A TO Z” SPOTLIGHTS
GRAPE HERITAGE ASSOCIATION; OTHER LOCAL CULTURAL TREASURES
Premiere Broadcast is December 1 on WNED-TV

WESTFIELD, NY – C is for Concord Grape Belt.

The Concord Grape Belt is among the unique historical and cultural attractions highlighted in WESTERN NEW YORK A TO Z, WNED’s latest television production premiering on Tuesday, December 1 at 8 pm. Through a series of “video postcards,” the program profiles diverse sites or regionally significant events ― one corresponding to each letter of the alphabet (see complete list below).

Andrew Dufresne, Executive Director of the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association commented “Its wonderful to be recognized as one of 26 great places to visit in Western New York.  With beautiful natural resources, scenic vineyard vistas, fine wineries, art, culture, culinary – there is a lot to delight all of one’s senses here.”

From the amusing to the profound, viewers learn about nearby places they can visit to experience kazoo-making, pop art by Andy Warhol, the plight of escaping slaves and Theodore Roosevelt’s first moments as president. One-of-a-kind items featured include the world’s oldest working fireboat (the Edward M. Cotter) and Mark Twain’s original manuscript for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

“The best part of producing this special was getting to see all the great places in this region — from well-known locations like the Buffalo Zoo and Albright-Knox Art Gallery to unknown gems like the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum and the Original Kazoo Company,” said Andy Grant, who produced the program with WNED’s Chief Program and Production Officer John Grant. “It was wonderful to have this opportunity to discover all the things Western New York has to offer.

“This program is just one more example of WNED’s commitment to using the power and resources of public broadcasting to share our community treasures,” said WNED President and CEO Donald K. Boswell. “I am particularly proud that so many of the museums and activities in “A TO Z” offer a special appeal for students and families. Working together as a community, we can help instill a sense of pride and connection to place for future generations.”

Major funding for WESTERN NEW YORK A TO Z is provided by the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation, Beechwood Continuing Care and the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation, with additional funding provided by Key Bank.

“The Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau is thrilled to once again partner with WNED on a production of exceptional quality and value to our community,” said Edward J. Healy, Vice President of Marketing for the CVB. “WESTERN NEW YORK A TO Z is just the most recent in a long line of community-minded productions that explore Buffalo’s cultural richness. We are proud to support WNED’s efforts to tell these stories to the large and receptive public television audience.”

WNED’s recent productions include several highlighting the significance of the region [for example, Elbert Hubbard: An American Original (2009), Remembering Crystal Beach Park (2008); Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo (2006), Niagara Falls (2006), The Adirondacks (2008) and Fort Niagara: The Struggle for a Continent (2004)]. Projects on the Chautauqua Institution and The War of 1812 are currently in development.

Through WNED-TV, ThinkBright and Well TV, Classical 94.5/WNED-FM and WNED-AM 970 The Information Station, the member-supported WNED Buffalo/Toronto provides high quality programming and services that enlighten, inspire, entertain and educate Western New York and Southern Ontario communities. Additional information about WNED can be found at www.wned.org.

The Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage and support the dynamic economic development of the grape and wine industries, tourism, and associated industries throughout the Lake Erie Region that is built upon our Concord Grape Heritage and results in an enhanced quality of life for all the region’s citizens.

— List of sites follows —