Monika Andrews Award honorees Jack and Chris Mazzarella
by Doug Hickerson
Jack and Chris MazzarellaMany years ago the doctor came into Jack Mazzarella’s hospital room to see his patient and said, “Where’s Jack?” Jack was under the bed making needed repairs to stabilize it. That story sums up much of Jack’s life — a man who can fix or build almost anything, with passion and a plan, even under adverse conditions. His wife, Chris, was the one who brought the tools he requested. That suggests their relationship — either as partners at work, or Chris providing moral support in Jack’s unique projects. “Anything I have achieved in life has been possible only with her support,” Jack says.
Tour around Brockport and you will see many places that have received the devoted work of Jack and Chris Mazzarella: Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Morgan-Manning House, the Toy Shelf at Christmas time, the Welcome Center on the canal, and Lakeside Hospital where they volunteer every week. And, go beyond the village to Ledgedale Airport. Jack purchased the land, developed it for about 25 years, and sold it in 1987 to Walt Eisenhower complete with a paved runway, 13 individual hangars, and a hangar for airplane and airport maintenance.
The couple first met and married in 1952 while attending the College at Brockport. They graduated in 1954, with one child and two more to come. Chris stayed home, raising their children. She moved from substitute teaching to full time in 1973, when two of their children entered college. She retired in 1995. Jack taught school full-time from graduation until retiring in 1983.
As lifetime members, Jack and Chris raised their family in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM). Chris taught religious education for six years and helped start the Martha Ministry which provided receptions after funerals. Part of their legacy at BVM goes back about 20 years to the beginning of the annual summer Church Festival, popular for its barbequed chicken. Someone had a special formula for barbeque sauce, but there was no equipment for grilling large amounts of chicken. Jack welded four huge charcoal pits with special grills. They are still in use today, and Chris continues selling and serving as she has each year.
Across Main Street from their church, the historic Morgan-Manning House has had the caring touch of this couple for almost two decades. Jack has been a handyman, when called upon, to repair furniture, electrical wiring, plumbing, and other fix-ups. Chris has worked on housekeeping, polishing silver and furniture, and similar tasks to keep the house in pristine condition. Both have been regular members of the men and women volunteers every Monday morning (until about three years ago for Jack). Starting in mid-1990, Chris served three terms on the board of trustees of the Western Monroe Historical Society which maintains the house. She chaired the House Use Committee, and led the way in devising the first usage contract for outside groups. Both Jack and Chris have worked with other volunteers every summer to collect and refurbish items contributed for the “Junque Sale” held at the annual fall Peddlers Market. The couple expressed a deep commitment to maintaining Brockport’s history. “It’s who we are. We have to know our past, in order to know how we got here and where we are going,” Chris said, emphasizing the obligation to the coming generations.
Jack may be best known for providing refurbished bikes to the Brockport Toy Shelf each Christmas. He has done the same for the Welcome Center on the canal, enabling visitors to borrow bikes for touring Brockport. In mid-1990, with a few bikes left over from an auction, Jack sent out a call for more used bikes to fix up in his shop and provide to the annual Brockport Toy Shelf in December. Over 100 bikes have been provided each year since. When Jack lost the full use of his hands three years ago, his friendly assistance to R-Bikes (a bike give-away in Rochester) resulted in that group continuing to provide the bikes for the Toy Shelf. Jack still does minor repairs to the bikes, as he is able.
Jack’s loss of the full use of his hands follows a lifetime of painful arthritis since he was a teen. “I can’t grip a screwdriver and I can’t squeeze the pliers,” he said. But, Jack is resilient. Pointing out the kitchen cabinets and table he crafted, he was pleased with his proven handiwork, and with therapy that is slowly increasing movement in his hands. “You keep going, right?” he affirmed, saying he is still able to cut trees at a local golf course.
An hour’s interview revealed the devoted couple’s mutual support for over 61 years of marriage, family, and volunteer work that earned the award for “outstanding service to their community.” Through their struggles and ultimate rewards, Jack says “The Guy Upstairs” is in charge. “He arranges things. Everything is planned.”
Reviving gardens, restoring people, and respecting history for Brockport’s vitality
Monika Andrews Award honoree Pam Ketchum
by Doug Hickerson
Pam KetchumPam Ketchum has a knack of bringing out the best in plants and people. Working on Brockport’s public gardens, she has enhanced the beauty of flower beds and has given a sense of worth and accomplishment to the court-assigned individuals who assist her. Over 40 years of gardening experience, plus graduate studies in floral and textile design, are behind Pam’s creative touch. Starting in 2007, she has applied her skills at: Remembrance Park, the Visitor’s Center, Sagawa Park, Corbett Park, and on the north side of the canal between Main Street and Park Avenue where work is just starting. The small garden squares at the base of trees on Main and Market Streets are a work in progress.
Pam emphasizes that she avoids imposing herself on someone else’s work. In biking or walking Brockport, she would first see how a garden’s design is violated by weeds, overgrowth, or poor edging. “At the Welcome Center there was a sea of grasses,” she said. “The original design had become overgrown.” With permission, “We edged and defined the garden, put down a lot of newspaper and cardboard with wood chips,” she said. “In these gardens, I respect the design that is there and help to accentuate and maintain it.” At the Village Hall she did similar maintenance, but this year, “recognizing the structure and design, I made some additions here and there.” Her “unique combination of skills” were cited by Village Trustee Margay Blackman, adding, “Her artistic eye and sense of pattern have resulted in visually pleasing and inviting garden spaces throughout the Village of Brockport.” Pam credits the occasional help she receives from volunteer groups, such as churches, the Parks Committee, Pro-Brockport, and Walk! Bike! Brockport!
Also supporting yet adding to her work are court-assigned community service workers, serving an alternate sentence to jail or a fine, called “restorative justice.” She started in August 2010, and in 2012, she supervised 14 workers over 291 hours. She doesn’t ask what their past offenses have been, but respects them as partners in the work at hand. Pam encourages their suggestions and instills a sense of pride and ownership in the work accomplished. Some college students showed their handiwork to visiting parents, and a young father did the same for his daughter. “Pam’s unconditional caring, concern and respect she shows these individuals and everyone else she works with is amazing,” said village resident Heather A. Packer.
Pam expresses many different motivations for her work, one being to beautify the village. She also wants to add economic value in making Brockport a destination, and to save the village money through volunteer time, talent, and muscle. And, she wants to promote Brockport as a very positive place to live, raise a family, and grow traditions.
Pam’s career after graduate school was short-lived — teaching summers at RIT, Chautauqua, and Cornell. She earned her real estate license 29 years ago to supplement the household income and raise a family. “My life was reincarnated as a real estate agent and mother,” she said.
For Pam, Brockport houses are not just commercial goods. Many have historic architecture which she treasures. “I want to preserve the older architecture, character, and integrity of our village,” she said. She started by purchasing the rental home next door to restore it. She and husband Greg now own five rental homes. Four of them, along with their own home on Park Avenue, have been refurbished to landmark status. The fifth historic home burned down and was rebuilt. She is an advocate for good building code enforcement, especially on rental properties, to maintain the quality of residential neighborhoods. Pam has been a member of Brockport’s Historic Preservation Board for about 24 years.
Pam is president of Pro-Brockport, and member of the political action group since it started in 2010. She emphasizes that the primary work of the organization is as a grass roots citizens’ group involved in “good things happening in Brockport,” such as gardens, parks, historic restoration, and festivals. She points out the slogans for Pro-Brockport express her personal devotion to her village: “Bridging tradition and tomorrow“ and “Promoting positive living in Brockport.”
