By Michael Canfield and Jacob Tierney
BengalNews Reporters
The West Side Bazaar celebrated its one-year anniversary on March 3, 70 mile-per-hour wind gusts and all.
“We planned on having a tent party, but our tent blew over at 8 a.m.,” said West Side Bazaar marketing coordinator Mary Joy Buscemi. “We had to move the tent sale to the basement.”
Despite the winds and the surprise move to the basement, the bazaar celebrated the anniversary in style. With Wendell Rivera’s brand of Latin jazz providing the background music, a store full of patrons mingled and interacted with the vendors, eating cupcakes and buying unique, handmade goods from around the world.
West Side Bazaar Marketing Coordinator Mary Joy Buscemi, on the first anniversary:
“We’re very happy,” said Buscemi. “We’re sharing our culture, our cupcakes and the wonderful music of Wendell Rivera.”
The bazaar, which was founded by the Westminster Presbyterian Church through the Westminster Economic Development Initiative, features vendors from all over the world, including Peru, Indonesia, Rwanda, Sudan and the Ivory Coast.
“Each woman has their own name for their shop: Pure Peru, Origins, Sumatra, Gysma’s African Styles and they're jsut so proud of their products," Buscemi said.
Through a variety of partnerships with various community groups and institutions, the bazaar has grown into a stable part of the Grant Street area, Buscemi said. It partnered with Buffalo State College, the Tri-Main Center and Buffalo Spree Magazine. It also rented space in a local art gallery.
“It gets the ladies out into the community,” she said.
The bazaar was profitable over the past year, Buscemi said, which means the vendors will be paying more for rent and contributing to the general costs associated with running a business going forward."
The bazaar is in the process of looking at new venues on the West Side to accommodate 30 vendors and a restaurant.
"We're very dedicated to this neighborhood," said Buscemi. "Community support of the bazaar has been incredible." Edited by Edward Mazzu
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Community prepares to celebrate diversity
By Ann Hendricks and Miranda Ruckdeschel
BengalNews Reporters
If there is one thing that’s not hard to find in Buffalo, it’s diversity. Buffalo’s annual Taste of Diversity festival displays just that and more. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., June 2 on Lafayette Street.
This annual event brings people in Buffalo together no matter what race, gender, or cultural background one may be.
The program coordinator of the event, Kelly Lang, says there are many ways this year will differ from last. You can count on a longer festival, as it will go from 4 hours to 8 hours. You will also find a much bigger event that will even feature the Buffalo food trucks. This year the festival also will be expanding the variety of food it has. Last year there was everything from Native American food, to Peruvian and Vietnamese and even a chef from the Cordon Blue in Paris.
“This year we have almost all the vendors we had last year and more and we’re still looking,” Lang says.
As she prepares for this year’s event, she is trying to bring in new vendors to attract more people. She also hopes that students will participate and bring something new to the festival.
The mission of Taste of Diversity is to enhance the quality of life by revitalizing the area, helping small businesses and bringing awareness to the different cultures and people in the Buffalo community. While the festival is still being organized by some of the same people from almost a decade ago, it also has other volunteers and organizations that are new to the city with different ideas to offer.
With the number of businesses growing on the West Side, there is definitely a new energy taking over Grant Street. The West Side Bazaar just opened its doors this past July and has a lot to offer Taste of Diversity this year. This unique shop is located on Grant Street, and it serves as a place for refugees from all over to come together and sell their goods straight from their country.
You’ll be sure to find hand-crafted jewelry, clothing, scarves and home goods.
“We are really excited to take part in Taste of Diversity, because it shows our diversity with the goods that we carry from Indonesia, South Sudan, Peru, from the Ivory Coast and from all over, shared with the neighborhood. It just gives a really nice cultural aspect,” says Mary Joy Buscemi, the marketing coordinator of the West Side Bazaar.
Westside Stories is another local business that will be participating in this year’s Taste of Diversity festival. The book store participated in the event last year and officially opened this past July, selling books at affordable prices and hosting in store events
“We want to see it grow,” says Joe Petri, owner of West Side Stories. “We think the West Side is unique, it’s the great melting pot of Buffalo, and it is one of the few areas where we are seeing people from all over the world, whether it be refugees or friends moving back from New York City. It’s growing and it’s having a rebirth, and I feel the festival is kind of like the cornerstone of this area’s outreach to the greater Western New York area.”
Petri and his wife also serve as staff workers for Taste of Diversity. He says that while it did rain during last year’s event, there was still so much excitement creating a great atmosphere. He hopes the event this year mirrors that excitement and that the weather will be nicer for the event.
Taste of Diversity, which began in 2003 at Our Lady of Loretto church, has come a long way. The festival eventually had thousands of attendees and was moved onto Lafayette Street last summer. In the next few years the committee hopes to extend the festival into a two-day event and to be able to host the festival on Grant Street. Taste of Diversity celebrates the diversity and culture of all the people who now call Buffalo home. It is about sharing heritages, food, stories and coming together as a community. Edited by Katie Anderson
BengalNews Reporters
If there is one thing that’s not hard to find in Buffalo, it’s diversity. Buffalo’s annual Taste of Diversity festival displays just that and more. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., June 2 on Lafayette Street.
This annual event brings people in Buffalo together no matter what race, gender, or cultural background one may be.
The program coordinator of the event, Kelly Lang, says there are many ways this year will differ from last. You can count on a longer festival, as it will go from 4 hours to 8 hours. You will also find a much bigger event that will even feature the Buffalo food trucks. This year the festival also will be expanding the variety of food it has. Last year there was everything from Native American food, to Peruvian and Vietnamese and even a chef from the Cordon Blue in Paris.
“This year we have almost all the vendors we had last year and more and we’re still looking,” Lang says.
 |
| Mary Jo Buscemi of the West Side Bazaar prepares for Taste of Diversity |
As she prepares for this year’s event, she is trying to bring in new vendors to attract more people. She also hopes that students will participate and bring something new to the festival.
The mission of Taste of Diversity is to enhance the quality of life by revitalizing the area, helping small businesses and bringing awareness to the different cultures and people in the Buffalo community. While the festival is still being organized by some of the same people from almost a decade ago, it also has other volunteers and organizations that are new to the city with different ideas to offer.
With the number of businesses growing on the West Side, there is definitely a new energy taking over Grant Street. The West Side Bazaar just opened its doors this past July and has a lot to offer Taste of Diversity this year. This unique shop is located on Grant Street, and it serves as a place for refugees from all over to come together and sell their goods straight from their country.
You’ll be sure to find hand-crafted jewelry, clothing, scarves and home goods.
 |
| Handcrafted items will be sold at the Taste of Diversity |
“We are really excited to take part in Taste of Diversity, because it shows our diversity with the goods that we carry from Indonesia, South Sudan, Peru, from the Ivory Coast and from all over, shared with the neighborhood. It just gives a really nice cultural aspect,” says Mary Joy Buscemi, the marketing coordinator of the West Side Bazaar.
Westside Stories is another local business that will be participating in this year’s Taste of Diversity festival. The book store participated in the event last year and officially opened this past July, selling books at affordable prices and hosting in store events
“We want to see it grow,” says Joe Petri, owner of West Side Stories. “We think the West Side is unique, it’s the great melting pot of Buffalo, and it is one of the few areas where we are seeing people from all over the world, whether it be refugees or friends moving back from New York City. It’s growing and it’s having a rebirth, and I feel the festival is kind of like the cornerstone of this area’s outreach to the greater Western New York area.”
Petri and his wife also serve as staff workers for Taste of Diversity. He says that while it did rain during last year’s event, there was still so much excitement creating a great atmosphere. He hopes the event this year mirrors that excitement and that the weather will be nicer for the event.
Taste of Diversity, which began in 2003 at Our Lady of Loretto church, has come a long way. The festival eventually had thousands of attendees and was moved onto Lafayette Street last summer. In the next few years the committee hopes to extend the festival into a two-day event and to be able to host the festival on Grant Street. Taste of Diversity celebrates the diversity and culture of all the people who now call Buffalo home. It is about sharing heritages, food, stories and coming together as a community. Edited by Katie Anderson
First Buffalo church celebrates 200 years
BY Kristina Ferris and Megan Kreps
BengalNews Reporters
When walking into The First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo, one is immediately swept back in time to the 19th century. Its 168-foot steeple towers over the West Side, across from Kleinhans Music Hall. Every detail is preserved, from the solid iron handles to the mammoth wooden doors that remain bolted to their original frames. The natural wood and stone facade gives the gothic monster of a building a soft and warm feel. With the church still in such remarkable condition, it’s easy to believe that on Feb. 2, the congregation celebrated its 200 year anniversary.
The interior of the church is even more brilliant and ornate than the outside. The vaulted ceilings go on forever, but even through its vastness, the sanctuary was calming and quiet. Everyone who has ever been inside an empty church by themselves knows this feeling of presence.
As the First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo celebrates its 200-year anniversary, its picturesque architecture still stands strong. Church member Liz Kemke explains:
Tiffany-designed stained-glass windows line each wall, telling stories as if the church itself were narrating. Tim Neaverth, the building supervisor, described the images in the windows of the chapel as being rare for the 19th century.
“The windows depict images of unusual topics for churches such as civil rights, women’s rights and child labor,” he said.
After a recent Sunday worship service, in a quiet office down the hall from the main entrance a documentary was being filmed in celebration of 200 years. Older members gathered to tell their stories to today’s younger generation of what it was like growing up with the church. Lesley Haynes, who runs the food pantry at the church, told the story of how when she was in her younger years a group of women would teach others how to sew.
The church was founded in 1812, the first in all of Buffalo. It’s even called, “the mother of all churches” by some. James Madison, the fourth president of the United States was in office at the time it was built and President Theodore Roosevelt even worshiped with the congregation.
The church was organized by Reverend Thaddeus Osgood in 1812, but the church as it stands today was not the building where it was formed. In fact, the church inhabited two different buildings before the construction of the current location at Symphony Circle. The existing structure was designed by famous architects Green & Wicks in 1889.
First Presbyterian wears the badge of Buffalo’s oldest church, but it only has 300 members. Due to economic hardship, it has had to rent out portions of the building. The Elmwood Village Charter School calls the church home, as well as K.C.’s Fitness. Lloyd Taco Truck rents out the church’s kitchen.
In honor of the bicentennial celebration, the church has held two special services, one featuring the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, which volunteered its services to help raise money for the church, the other, an organ recital. Even bigger celebrations throughout the year are being planned. A special service will be held on May 20 with a luncheon to follow for all those who attend.
With such beauty of the church and the history it depicts, it’s hard to believe that talks of closing the church were among discussions just a few years ago. While the church is not out of hot water yet, there are small things members are doing to help stay afloat.
“Building preservation has helped them tremendously, especially when the church has volunteer days where members come and vacuum or refinish the seats,” said Jean Hess, a member of the church.
Hess also credits “the wise use of the funds that the church does have,” as being able to help with planning for the future.
Although the church is 200 years old, and has ministries for all ages, community outreach and missions activities, it is up to date with modern technology. The First Presbyterian has a website and a twitter account.
However, in a recent newsletter to the congregation, Reverend Dr. Phil Gettings asked for his members to, “Please pray that God will guide us all in celebrating our past, and in making decisions for our future.” Edited by Alexa Myers
BengalNews Reporters
When walking into The First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo, one is immediately swept back in time to the 19th century. Its 168-foot steeple towers over the West Side, across from Kleinhans Music Hall. Every detail is preserved, from the solid iron handles to the mammoth wooden doors that remain bolted to their original frames. The natural wood and stone facade gives the gothic monster of a building a soft and warm feel. With the church still in such remarkable condition, it’s easy to believe that on Feb. 2, the congregation celebrated its 200 year anniversary.
The interior of the church is even more brilliant and ornate than the outside. The vaulted ceilings go on forever, but even through its vastness, the sanctuary was calming and quiet. Everyone who has ever been inside an empty church by themselves knows this feeling of presence.
As the First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo celebrates its 200-year anniversary, its picturesque architecture still stands strong. Church member Liz Kemke explains:
Tiffany-designed stained-glass windows line each wall, telling stories as if the church itself were narrating. Tim Neaverth, the building supervisor, described the images in the windows of the chapel as being rare for the 19th century.
“The windows depict images of unusual topics for churches such as civil rights, women’s rights and child labor,” he said.
After a recent Sunday worship service, in a quiet office down the hall from the main entrance a documentary was being filmed in celebration of 200 years. Older members gathered to tell their stories to today’s younger generation of what it was like growing up with the church. Lesley Haynes, who runs the food pantry at the church, told the story of how when she was in her younger years a group of women would teach others how to sew.
The church was founded in 1812, the first in all of Buffalo. It’s even called, “the mother of all churches” by some. James Madison, the fourth president of the United States was in office at the time it was built and President Theodore Roosevelt even worshiped with the congregation.
The church was organized by Reverend Thaddeus Osgood in 1812, but the church as it stands today was not the building where it was formed. In fact, the church inhabited two different buildings before the construction of the current location at Symphony Circle. The existing structure was designed by famous architects Green & Wicks in 1889.
First Presbyterian wears the badge of Buffalo’s oldest church, but it only has 300 members. Due to economic hardship, it has had to rent out portions of the building. The Elmwood Village Charter School calls the church home, as well as K.C.’s Fitness. Lloyd Taco Truck rents out the church’s kitchen.
In honor of the bicentennial celebration, the church has held two special services, one featuring the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, which volunteered its services to help raise money for the church, the other, an organ recital. Even bigger celebrations throughout the year are being planned. A special service will be held on May 20 with a luncheon to follow for all those who attend.
With such beauty of the church and the history it depicts, it’s hard to believe that talks of closing the church were among discussions just a few years ago. While the church is not out of hot water yet, there are small things members are doing to help stay afloat.
“Building preservation has helped them tremendously, especially when the church has volunteer days where members come and vacuum or refinish the seats,” said Jean Hess, a member of the church.
Hess also credits “the wise use of the funds that the church does have,” as being able to help with planning for the future.
Although the church is 200 years old, and has ministries for all ages, community outreach and missions activities, it is up to date with modern technology. The First Presbyterian has a website and a twitter account.
However, in a recent newsletter to the congregation, Reverend Dr. Phil Gettings asked for his members to, “Please pray that God will guide us all in celebrating our past, and in making decisions for our future.” Edited by Alexa Myers
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