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CRUSHING IT Griffin’s Guardians fundraiser is Oct. 22-23

Kevin Toms poses with his grandmother at last year’s Can Crush Cancer event.

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WORK  BUY  SELL  TRADE  GET IT DONE

Clay Fall Fun Festival is Oct. 8 BY ASHLEY M. CASEY ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Traditionally, the town of Clay used to host an annual summer festival. But when attendance began to decline, the Clay Recreation Department decided last year to shift the fun to fall. “I think summers are just so busy with people going camping, going away for weekends, weddings. They’re booked,” Program Administrator Cady Montague said. “Fall seems like a good last chance to get outdoors and do something before it snows.” The Town of Clay Fall Fun Festival returns this Saturday to Clay Park Central. The event will feature more than 15 craft vendors, family-friendly activities, live music and a smorgasbord of food trucks: Callé Tropical, D&G’s Mac and Cheese, Johnny Gee’s BBQ and Cruisin Cones. New this year is an inflatable “Ninja Warrior” obstacle course, which joins other inflatable attractions such as a giant chair for photo ops. The festival also features carnival games for kids and a “Toddler Trike” area for little ones to practice their pedaling. “We do have some helmets that we have purchased, but if anybody wants to bring their own they can do that as well,” Montague said. Senior Citizen Coordinator Chrissy Clancy is organizing an “eclectic and intergenerational” Tinker Camp, Montague said. The Clay Senior Center’s “Super Seniors” — decked out in their Halloween costumes — will su-

TOWN OF CLAY

The Town of Clay Fall Fun Festival takes place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, at Clay Park Central, located at 4821 Wetzel Road in Liverpool. pervise activities including a bonfire, games and crafts. Brass Inc., Central New York’s premier group of horn players, performs at 2 p.m. The nine-member act’s repertoire spans the decades from “Billie Jean” to Bruno Mars. To learn more, visit brassincband.com. The Town of Clay Fall Fun Festival takes place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, at Clay Park Central, located at 4821 Wetzel Road in Liverpool. Admission is free, but those who attend should make sure to bring cash for the craft vendors and food trucks. For more information, visit facebook. com/townofclayrec.

‘Many hands make light work’

Mattydale Events Committee seeks volunteers

BY ASHLEY M. CASEY ASSOCIATE EDITOR If the bottles and cans from your summer cookouts have piled up in your garage, don’t recycle them just yet: Can Crush Cancer, a fundraiser for Cicero-based pediatric cancer nonprofit Griffin’s Guardians, returns Oct. 22 and 23. This is the third year Kevin Toms, now 15, has organized a bottle and can drive in memory of his best friend, Griffin Engle. Griffin passed away Sept. 12, 2014, after battling a rare brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme. He was 7 years old. Erin Engle, Griffin’s mother, commended Kevin for his efforts. “From the inception of our charity, we have always stressed the importance and desire to have our youth be an intricate piece to the organization,” she said. “Kevin Toms is an example of our youth, pulling people together to make a difference with his Can Crush Cancer fundraiser. Through his fundraiser he is bringing a community together to fight against pediatric cancer but he is also honoring his best friend, Griffin, and carrying on his legacy.” The first two Can Crush Cancer drives took place in September, which is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This year’s event is in October to accommodate the Toms and Engle families’ busy soccer and academic schedules. Kori Toms and Grace Engle — the older sisters of Kevin and Griffin — are both graduating seniors. The Toms family is no stranger

Week of Oct. 5, 2022 Home of The Sageer Family

BY ASHLEY M. CASEY ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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Cicero-North Syracuse soccer players volunteer at Can Crush Cancer. to fundraising for Griffin’s Guard- from a little boy to a young man, ians. Kevin’s older brother, Kyle, Rita expressed her gratitude to helped raise money for an electric Kevin and his family for supporttoy car to replace a wheelchair for ing the cause. pediatric cancer patients at Upstate “He’s tall and he’s handsome Golisano Children’s Hospital. and he’s fun — and Griff would “It’s definitely a family affair,” have been the same way,” Rita said Lori Lake-Toms, Kevin’s Griffin said. “I taught for 30 years, mother. and I know child development. Rita Griffin, mother to Erin Teenagers are usually pretty selfEngle and grandmother to Griffin absorbed and like to be all about Engle, can attest to that. them, but not this family. They’re “We’re very thankful to the just a very giving family.” Toms [children]. What great parKevin’s first two years of Can ents they have to get their kids Crush Cancer have netted over to this level at such a young age. $7,700. His goal this year is to They’re driven to help others,” bring the total to $10,000. she said. “He’s close,” said Lake-Toms. Rita Griffin said she has fond “By the time he graduates, [he memories of Kevin and Griffin wants to raise] $20,000.” playing as little kids. Rita said she will be promoting “Kevin and Griff were the best Kevin’s fundraiser in her social of friends. They were just two peas circle. in a pod. They were just fun to “I have a lot of friends and I’ll watch,” she said. be putting it out there to either While it is bittersweet seeing bring him cans or bring him cash. Can Crush l Page 14 her late grandson’s best friend go

Mattydale Events Committee began in 2019 with a small group of women who wanted to better their community. Now that their efforts are taking off, they need more volunteers to assist with the summer Mattydale Market, holiday events and more. “We want to be able to do more, but there’s basically three of us and it’s exhausting,” said Jennifer Sampson, one of the founders. The committee has a variety of volunteering opportunities available ranging from one-time event help to leadership roles. The group also is looking for people with social media savvy, a knack for creativity and crafts, or those who just want to pitch in for setup or cleanup before and after events. “Many hands make light work,” Sampson said. “Maybe your volunteer time is one hour at one event a year — we’ll take it.” Some volunteer duties would be a good fit for high schoolers in need of community service hours, Sampson said. “We want this group to be sustainable … so we can pass it along to the next generation,” she said. “I’ve already added four people to our team with very specific roles, which is very phenomenal because it takes four big chunks off my plate.” Among the new recruits are a community resource coordinator, food truck coordinator and media manager. The following leadership roles are still open: business liaison, yard sale coordinator, donation coordinator

Mattydale Halloween Decorating Contest

The Mattydale Events Committee is holding a Halloween Decorating Contest later this month. Residents can compete in two categories: large (yard or house) or small (door, window or porch). The top three winners will receive prizes from local businesses such as Byrne Dairy gift cards or haunted house passes. Since many Mattydale residents already decorate their homes, committee member Jennifer Sampson said she is hoping this year’s contest attracts more entries than in years past. “We’ll get maybe 15 to 20 entries, but I’ll drive around Mattydale and see 100 houses decorated,” she said. To sign up, email mattydalecommittee@gmail.com or pick up an entry form at Salina Free Library. Please include your name, address, phone number and which category you’d like to enter. The deadline to enter is 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19. Judging takes place Oct. 21 and winners will be announced Oct. 24. and Mattydale Market coordinator. “We’re hoping to build a great team so we can do not only more for the community but better for the community,” Sampson said. To learn more about volunteering opportunities with the Mattydale Events Committee, fill out the form at https://bit.ly/mattydale or visit facebook.com/mattydalecommunity/.

Volume 130, Number 40 The Star-Review is published weekly by Eagle News. Office of Publication: 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206. Periodical Postage Paid at Syracuse, NY 13220, USPS 316060. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Star-Review, 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206.

sports news: Liverpool, C-NS boys soccer earn big wins.

PAGE 13

municipal news: Liverpool plans new sidewalk, landscaping.

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Calendar �� 10 death notices �� 10 Editorial �� 4 letters �� 5

Obituaries �� 10 PennySaver �� 6 Sports �� 12-13