Stories

Rochester Area Community Foundation supports new Dance Floor Project

August 2nd, 2021

St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy (SPCAA), has been awarded $11,400 for their Dance Floor for Youth Development project from the Rochester Area Community Foundation. The grant funds, from the Ralph C. Wilson Legacy Youth Sports Fund, will provide a new Marley dance floor that will help strengthen the Academy’s overall dance studio, drawing a greater student attendance and expanding the program offerings. It will also improve the safety and positive experience for the dancers. Dance classes provide a social outlet Read more »
St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy receives a grant to assist operations during COVID-19

July 12th, 2021

GENEVA – St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy (SPCAA), through the generosity of the Rochester Area Community Foundation, has received a grant for $5,000 to help offset the effects of COVID-19. This grant has made it possible for the Academy to operate remotely during most of the pandemic while working towards pivoting to a hybrid model once restrictions were lifted. SPCAA Academy Administrator Sue Adams says “Now, more than ever, our community needs the arts education the Community Academy provides and Read more »
Rochester Area Community Foundation Supports Historic Preservation At St. Peter’s Church

December 31st, 2020

The Rochester Area Community Foundation recently awarded a $10,000 grant to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church for historic preservation. RACF, in partnership with philanthropists and community partners, works to improve the quality of life for people who live and work in the eight-county region through its leadership and strategic grant-making. The Geneva church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 and inducted into the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame in 2019. "I am grateful for the support Read more »
St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy Awarded $15K Grant

November 19th, 2020

The Feinbloom Supporting Foundation at the Rochester Area Community Foundation has contributed $15,000 for operations at the St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy in Geneva. The Community Arts Academy continues to grow and several hundred students of all ages currently receive instruction in choirs, piano, violin, cello, viola, organ, voice, dance, and guitar. The Feinbloom grant-funded operations for the Academy budget for 2019-2020. The Feinbloom Foundation strives to support arts and culture programs for children that contribute to their ability to Read more »
Creative Arts Instruction During Pandemic

May 11th, 2020

GENEVA — The show must go on, and so must the arts instruction … even in a pandemic. The faculty at the St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy has been able to continue teaching students by creative approaches. Arts for All continues, but many of the academy’s 300 students are learning online and at home, as shown by photos of students on the academy’s Facebook page. In a recent letter to families and friends of the Community Arts Academy, the Rev. Read more »
St. Peter’s offers Saturday night dinners during crisis

April 1st, 2020

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on Genesee Street is joining forces with the Boys & Girls Club of Geneva to extend the club’s nightly dinner service to Saturdays beginning this week. St. Peter's and its partner, the Beef & Brew restaurant on Main Street, will use the club facilities to prepare and distribute 250 dinners starting at 5 p.m. on Saturday. “We intend to keep doing this as long as we can during the coronavirus crisis,’” said the Rev. Jim Adams, Read more »
Legotts, Lee honored at St. Peter’s Arts Academy dinner

March 12th, 2020

The 10th annual Dinner for the Arts March 29 at the St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy will feature arts performances, awards to community members and a gourmet meal. The gala evening at the Academy at 149 Genesee St. begins at 4:30 p.m. with a wine reception, silent auction and entertainment from Arts Academy performers. The five-course meal sponsored by Beef and Brew will start at 6 p.m. and will include the presentation of the Community Arts Academy’s 2020 Community Award Read more »
St. Peter’s Joins Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame

January 10th, 2020

GENEVA — St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 149 Genesee St., has joined the latest buildings to be named to the Medina Sandstone Society Hall of Fame. Besides St. Peter’s in Geneva, three other buildings were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019: Thomas B. Hagen History Center (Watson-Curtze Mansion) in Erie, Pa. Zion Episcopal Church in Palmyra, Wayne County St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in Rome, Oneida County “We just thought their building is spectacular,” Jim Hancock said of Geneva’s Read more »
Arts Academy receives $5K grant

August 30th, 2019

The St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy has been awarded a grant of $5,000 from the Dorothy Kitzing and Elizabeth Kitzing Fund of the Rochester Area Community Foundation. The Kitzing sisters established the fund for development of the performing arts and literacy training. The Rev. James Adams, Head of School, said that the grant funds will help the Arts Academy expand programs, reach more students and offer more scholarships.
St. Peter’s church receives grant to restore stained glass windows

July 31st, 2019

GENEVA — The New York Landmarks Conservancy has awarded St. Peter’s Episcopal Church a matching grant of $15,000 to help fund stained glass window restoration. Dr. James Rankine, the first rector of St. Peter’s, worked with architect Dr. Richard Upjohn of New York City to build the red brownstone church. The cornerstone was laid May 13, 1868, at Genesee and Lewis streets. The square tower housing a set of bells was later erected in 1878. The Rev. James Adams, current Read more »
Adam Fryer – Geneva Native

May 16th, 2019

Growing up, I frequently created music with friends, acted and directed plays through the Geneva Theatre Guild, became a member of the St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy Senior Choir in high school and joined the University of Buffalo Drumline at school. Music has and always will be a huge part of my life and in 2013 I created the Two Herons Drum Circle to share music and drumming with friends. My original intent was to meet with a couple buddies Read more »
Dinner raises funds for Arts Academy

May 2nd, 2019

GENEVA — The ninth annual Dinner with the Arts raised funds for the St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy. One hundred eighty people attended the event, which included a series of piano, violin, dance and choral performances by academy students. Meg Cognetta Heaton and Hilda Lam Collins received the 2019 Community Award, and Adam Fryer received the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award. Heaton, who holds a music degree from Oberlin Conservatory, teaches piano at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, accompanies the colleges’ Read more »
Phil Breitfeld shares memories from childhood

April 25th, 2019

Memories come to us in unexpected ways and times. I was talking with Charlie Bauder about ways I could give back to Geneva. My sister had recommended I talk with him. Some background on me; I spent my first 18 years in Geneva, attended public schools in Geneva, then left Geneva when I went to college in 1971. I am now a physician, living in North Carolina, semi-retired. Getting back to Charlie, he was reviewing with me organizations and efforts Read more »
Vanady E. Mitchell, Alum – St. Peter’s Senior Choir

April 25th, 2019

When I was about 8 years old attending Neighbor’s Night, I was approached about joining the community choir at St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy. Little did I know the profound impact that one event would have on my life. Traveling, touring and singing opened my eyes to a world I didn’t know existed, and because of this I desired more for myself. I will always look back fondly at the achievements and accomplishments I had courtesy of the arts programs Read more »

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