Ellicottville Rotary, Operation Warm Hearts Outfit Over 110 Kids for School
The Rotary Club of Ellicottville partnered with the nonprofit Operation Warm Hearts to help more than 110 area children get ready for the new school year. Rather than handing out generic donations, volunteers matched each child with clothing and supplies chosen for their specific needs. The effort is the latest in a string of community-support projects the Ellicottville Rotary has backed this year alongside local nonprofit partners. Operation Warm Hearts, which provides new children's clothing and accessories to families across the region, has increasingly worked with civic groups in Cattaraugus County to reach families ahead of the school year.
Holy Name of Mary Church to Mark 175th Anniversary With Mass and Dinner
Holy Name of Mary Roman Catholic Church in Ellicottville is celebrating its 175th anniversary with a special Mass at 5 p.m. on Sept. 10, followed by a catered dinner at the Ellicottville American Legion starting at 6:30 p.m. Parish leaders are inviting current and former parishioners along with the wider community to take part in marking nearly two centuries of the church's presence in the village. The celebration caps a year of milestone anniversaries for local institutions around Ellicottville. Organizers are encouraging anyone with ties to the parish to attend both the liturgy and the dinner that follows.
Ellicottville Holds First Public Input Meeting on Downtown Revitalization Bid
The Village of Ellicottville held its first public input session Aug. 22 at the Town Center on Parkside Drive as it prepares an application for the state's DRI Round 9 / NY Forward Round 4 downtown revitalization funding. Residents, business owners and other stakeholders were invited to weigh in on the village's vision for downtown, a proposed project boundary, and potential "transformative" projects the application could pursue. The village hired G&G Municipal Consulting, led by grant writer Scott Burto, to prepare the submission; the firm also held private sessions that afternoon for interested property owners. Village officials say community feedback from the meeting will help shape which projects ultimately go into the application.
Master Gardeners Launching Tai Chi and Qi Gong Series at Nannen Arboretum
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cattaraugus County's Master Gardener volunteers are launching a six-week outdoor wellness series called "Cultivate the Garden, Cultivate Yourself" at the Nannen Arboretum in Ellicottville. The authentic Tai Chi and Qi Gong sessions run Tuesday evenings from 6 to 7 p.m., starting Sept. 1 through Oct. 6, at the arboretum's grounds on Parkside Drive. Organizers say the introductory series is designed for beginners and aims to combine gentle movement practice with the arboretum's setting, with proceeds supporting the county's Master Gardener program. It's the latest community program the arboretum has hosted this season alongside its ongoing educational and horticultural events.
Ellicottville Rotary Sets Third Annual Chili Cook-Off for Sept. 26
The Rotary Club of Ellicottville has announced its third annual Chili Cook-Off fundraiser for Saturday, Sept. 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. upstairs at Madigan's on Washington Street. Attendees can sample unlimited chili from local cooks for $15 at the door, with a winner chosen by People's Choice vote, alongside live music and raffles. Home cooks and restaurants can enter the competition for a $25 fee, which includes a tasting ticket. Proceeds support the club's food pantry contributions, youth leadership programs, scholarships, mental health initiatives, and community beautification projects.
Ellicottville Schools Set Back-to-School Open House for Sept. 2
Ellicottville Central School District has scheduled its Back-to-School Open House for Wednesday, Sept. 2, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., open to families across grades UPK through 12. The evening gives students and parents a chance to meet teachers, tour classrooms and reconnect with classmates before the year gets underway, and the district plans to provide a picnic dinner for attendees. Classes for the 2026-27 school year officially begin the following day, Thursday, Sept. 3. The open house is the district's traditional kickoff to the new academic year.
Bob McCarthy Foundation Delivers Latest Donation to Ellicottville Food Bank
The Bob McCarthy Foundation presented its latest financial support to the Ellicottville Food Bank, continuing a partnership that has spanned more than two decades. Food bank volunteers Pat Kurl, Sherri Barrera and Bob Duke accepted the donation alongside Rev. Ralph Mueller on behalf of the pantry. Beyond its regular quarterly contributions, the foundation has also historically helped fund equipment for the food bank and provided extra support around Thanksgiving and Christmas. The gift is part of the Ellicottville-based foundation's broader mission of quietly backing local charitable causes in memory of Bob McCarthy.
Ham Radio Volunteers Sought for East Aurora-to-Ellicottville Charity Bike Ride
The Pioneer Radio Operators Society is recruiting amateur radio operators to provide communications support for a 42-mile charity bike ride running from East Aurora to Ellicottville on October 3. Ride coordinator Gary Tillinghast, callsign KB2YAA, said hams will be stationed at points along the route, which follows Routes 240, 242 and 219, to relay rider status and help organizers respond quickly to any problems on the course. Proceeds from the ride go toward continued construction of a 27-mile rail trail along the former Buffalo & Pittsburgh rail line linking the two communities. Organizers are still lining up volunteer operators ahead of the fall event.
Ellicottville's Nancy Rogan Honored with County Planning Leadership Award
The Cattaraugus County Planning Board has presented its Brooks Patterson Community Leadership Award to Nancy Rogan, longtime chairperson of the Village of Ellicottville Planning Board. Rogan has led the village's planning board for more than three decades, guiding it through zoning amendments and development reviews as Ellicottville grew into a major tourism destination. The award recognizes her work balancing continued economic growth with preservation of the village's historic character. Rogan was also recently recognized by the American Planning Association's Western New York Section with its Citizen Planner Award.
EVL Trailfest Brings Mountain Bikers to Holiday Valley
Ellicottville's EVL Trailfest took place at the Holiday Valley/HoliMont bike park off Route 242 West, drawing mountain biking enthusiasts to the resort's trail network. The event is part of a busy summer and fall events calendar for the village, which follows with Women's Weekend and a food-and-flavor event in early August. Ellicottville's trail and resort-based events have become a steady draw for outdoor recreation visitors year-round, complementing the village's ski-season identity with warm-weather mountain biking tourism.
Ellicottville Town Board Approves Moratorium on Battery Storage and Data Centers
The Ellicottville Town Board approved a 12-month moratorium on new battery energy storage systems and data center facilities during its July 15, 2026 meeting, following a public hearing. Town Supervisor Matthew McAndrew said the pause is meant to give officials time to research the technologies and develop zoning and safety regulations before any projects move forward. Resident Nadine Saviano spoke during the hearing about potential environmental impacts of such facilities. The moratorium halts new applications while the town studies land-use, safety and environmental questions tied to the emerging industries.
Ellicottville Rotary Expands Mental Health Partnership With TICCAT
The Rotary Club of Ellicottville is deepening its partnership with the Trauma Informed Coalition of Cattaraugus County (TICCAT) to expand mental health and trauma-support programming through 2026. Club leaders say the effort grew out of tragic events in the community that highlighted the need for stronger local crisis and addiction-support resources. Building on a 2025 slate that included wellness workshops for the Department of Aging and the launch of the Firekeepers peer-wellness program at Ellicottville Central School, the partnership plans further community mental-health education events and continued support for students and staff. TICCAT itself is a coalition of faith groups, local government, schools, nonprofits, law enforcement, the Seneca Nation and health providers, fiscally managed by Connecting Communities in Action.
