A narrated Victorian Era tour will be led by NFHPS President Bill Bradberry beginning  of the tour at the First Presbyterian Church- 311 First Street at 10 am.  Visitors will be greeted by costumed guides Augustus Porter and his daughter, Lavinia, who were among the church founders and notable leaders of the City of Niagara Falls.  Stroll along historic Buffalo Avenue looking at churches and stately homes, including taking a closer look inside one of oldest homes in Niagara Falls.

The second tour, led by City Historian and preservation architect Tom Yots, will highlight downtown Niagara Falls of the 1920’s.  Meet just outside the Red Coach Inn, 2 Buffalo Avenue at 2 pm to glimpse the historic and the architecture “up close and personal” of such places as the United Office Building, the newly restored Jefferson Apartment Building, and the Niagara Hotel, currently being restored.  Tour members will discover historic Buffalo Avenue in the era of flappers and their escorts along for the ride.

Call the Niagara University General Information Center/Green Line to make a reservation Monday through Thursday from 9 until 5 pm. (716) 205-0287 to reserve early for either or both tours since there are a limited number of spaces available.  Cost for each tour is $15 per person payable to the Niagara Falls Historic Preservation Society (or NFHPS), P.O. Box 1945, Niagara Falls, NY 14302-1945.  Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.  Both tours will take about an hour.

The first Niagara Homecoming Kick-Off Reception begins at 6pm at the Crowne Plaza on 3rd Street in Niagara Falls  with Basket Auction, 50/50 and NCCC Culinary Institute serving food at 3 stations in the ballroom.

5 Niagara Escarpment Wine Trail Wineries will be holding wine tasting throughout the evening.

Arrowhead Spring Vineyards

Freedom Run Winery

Eveningside Vineyards

Warm Lake Estate

Leonard Oaks Estate Winery

6 wine tasting tickets are included in the $20 donation ticket price.

Basket Auction will include donations from:

Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres, Buffalo Bisons, Lasertron, George Edwards Jewelers, Fortuna’s Restaurant,

Delta Sonic, Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum, Old Fort Niagara, Darian Lake,

Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises, Maid of the Mist, Arrowhead Spring Vineyards,

Niagara Honeymoon Sweets, Village Bakery, Walmart, NCCC Alumni Foundation and more!

Tickets are $20 advance donation—All Proceeds benefit NCCC Foundation Culinary Scholarships—- $25 at the door.

Roy McDowell will be at the piano for the first hour,  at 7:30 The Impressions will take the stage to perform Swing music from the 20’s, 30’s & 40’s.

Niagara Rises, and Mayor Paul Dyster will present the Volunteer of the Year Award. 

Information to all the Weekend Niagara Homecoming events will be available!  

Tickets are available through, NCCC Culinary Dept., Niagara Rises members, NCCC Alumni Office, or by sending a check to:

Niagara Rises

PO Box 673

Niagara Falls, NY  14302

include your name, address, number of tickets requested and email along with your check made out to: Niagara Rises.   memo check to:  Kick-Off

Post no later than June 15, 2009    Once your check is received, you will receive a confirmation email.  Your name (and number of tickets) will be on a “Paid Reservation List” at the Registration Table outside the Crowne Ballroom.

Please make a copy of the confirmation email and bring it with you to the Kick-Off Reception.

A year later, I am filled with such pride and admiration for a group of people that words seem to fail me.

I sit here in awe of what each of them have accomplished.  We thought when we meet late last year that we would add a couple of events bringing people to Niagara Falls during Buffalo Homecoming.   What happened is what we have happening at the end of June this year!

Buffalo Homecoming welcomes Niagara Homecoming

But let me back up just a little bit and fill those of you who are wondering what exactly is Niagara Homecoming?   How did Niagara Rises get the idea?

To do this, I have to give my return to Western New York.   Seeking an opportunity to meet new people and build my Real Estate business I got involved in Twitter.  I went to the very first Buffalo Tweetup and meet Marti Gorman, and I immediately got invovled with Buffalo Homecoming.

I had been involved with Niagara Rises organization but like many grass roots organizations we were stuck.   I saw an opportunity to do greater good with Buffalo Homecoming at that time, so I focused on that still involved with Niagara Rises.  Still very much part of Niagara Rises, but not sure how I was going to make a difference, I got Niagara Rises involved with Arts at the Park last year.

Little did I know that that my involvement with Buffalo Homecoming would turn the energy from Niagara Rises around and plot us on a new course.   At the end of Buffalo Homecoming, I looked at Marti and said “Niagara Falls should do something like this”.   Marti never missed a beat, and said absolutely!   She has been a resource for us and we lovingly refer to the two events as “Hands Across Grand Island”.

But sparking the idea does not create a four day of amazing events in Niagara Falls.   No that happened because of great volunteers in our group, Niagara Rises.   Niagara Rises, as an organization took it on.   All of us excited and thrilled, everyone having a part of this great event.   People started coming to our meetings, new people started to join our efforts.   For those of us that sat at that very first meeting what we have today is amazing.   We thought, oh we thought we might have some tours, perhaps a job fair, and something involving the Aquarium.   Then we brainstormed, I tossed the idea of a Sunrise Service at the Top of the Falls, someone else suggested a Sunday Brunch, someone else suggested doing something with the Niagara Power Baseball team.   We talked about the “old days” and how we envisioned Niagara Falls in the future.  No longer were we looking back but we are looking forward, and the city is following our lead.

The Folks at Main Street moved their festival Positively Main Street to the same weekend.   We talked about a Happy Hour and we now have every month a Still Fallin for the Falls Happy Hour. Niagara Falls Mayor, Paul Dyster has stood proud with us from the beginning.

So this event, Niagara Homecoming, has become the bolt of lightening that Niagara Falls has needed to effect change.   We all feel it.  We all are excited and proud.   We know that we made a difference, a small but significant change in how people see Niagara Falls.   So on June 25-28 we ask you to support our efforts and celebrate what is and what we can become.   Everyone at Niagara Rises stand up, take a bow!   We did it!

2009 Niagara Homecoming Events

Kick-off Cocktail Reception/Benefit

June 25, 2009
6:00 - 10:00 p.m. - Crowne Plaza Hotel

The Students of the NCCC Culinary Institute present an evening of wine, food and song. Enjoy wines from the Niagara Wine Trail and great food from the premier culinary school in WNY. There will be a basket auction and live Jazz music. The recipient of the first ever “Niagara Rises Volunteer of the Year Award” will be announced. Tickets are $20 pre-sale/$25 at door. Proceeds to benefit the NCCC Scholarship Fund.

Empower Your Future Job Fair

Friday, June 26
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Niagara Power Vista
Most former residents say that the right job would bring them back home in a heartbeat. We hope to link those people with employers looking to hire qualified candidates. Multiple companies will be on hand and a job seeker seminar will be conducted, giving you the tools to get the job of your dreams.

Art at the NACC

Friday, June 26
4:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Niagara Arts and Cultural Center
A full day of events including: NACC Open House & Open Artists’ Studios, Two Open Gallery Art Exhibitions (1st Floor & 2nd Floor), Wine Bar with finger food & refreshments, Gift Shop showcasing art & artistic items for sale, Theatrical Vignettes in the Woodbox Theater presented by The Western Door Playhouse.

Niagara Power Baseball

Friday, June 26
7:00 p.m. - Sal Maglie Stadium
The Power will take on the rival Hornell Dodgers. Bring the kids out for a wonderful evening of baseball featuring your hometown Niagara Power. The game will serve as a celebration of Niagara’s former teams including the Bisons, Pirates, Rapids, White Sox and Mallards. Former Major Leaguers will be on hand to sign autographs.

Discover Niagara Falls

Saturday, June 27
All day, all over Niagara Falls
Take any of a number of exciting tours, visit the Positively Main Street Festival or peruse open houses in the Echota neighborhood - whatever you do, get up and take in Niagara.
• Niagara Falls Bus Tour
• Wine Trail Tour
• Mob Tour
• Echota Neighborhood Open House and Reunion
• Niagara Falls High School Open House

Real Estate Expo

Saturday, June 27

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., doors open at 9:30 - Power Vista Lewiston NY
Whether you are starting your search to purchase your first or your fifth home, you will want to attend this Real Estate seminar. Presentations on the first- time home buyer tax credit, home energy efficiency, commercial real estate, searching for homes, and selling your home will be presented. Free of charge and open to all. Pick up your list of Open Houses for Saturday and Sunday for you to tour.

Positively Main Street Festival

Saturday, June 27 & Sunday June 28
12:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Join us on both Saturday, June 27 and Sunday June 28 as we close off Main Street to traffic and open it up to fun, fun, fun. Arts, crafts, a Kid’s Bounce House and plenty of great food and drink are on tap for both days of this signature festival. And don’t forget the live music - more than 20 bands will perform, including crowd favorite Disco Duck.

Arise & Shine Worship Event

Sunday, June 28
4:30 - 9:30 a.m. - Goat Island
Multiple churches from various denominations will come together in a communal service as the sun rises over the incomparable upper Niagara River. Isaiah 60:1: Arise, Shine for your light has come and the Glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Free parking on Goat Island, Niagara Falls, USA, near Parking Lot #3.

Brunch at the Aquarium of Niagara

Sunday, June 28
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Aquarium
Capping off four days of fun, the Brunch will showcase and benefit one of the region’s oldest and most respected attractions. Catered by Niagara Falls’ own Alps Catering, the menu will feature the usual breakfast favorites along with an assortment of foods indigenous to WNY including the Alps succulent Beef on Weck. Tickets may be purchased online at Citybration.com, $15 for Adults and $10 for children under 12. Proceeds benefit the Aquarium of Niagara.

Open Houses hosted by Buffalo Niagara Board of Realtors will take place throughout the region all afternoon, showcasing Western New York’s extraordinary real estate values.

Contact niagararises@yahoo.com or call 716-990-1910 for more information about this unique event: www.Citybration.com.   Join us on Facebook or Twitter.

Perhaps you did not score one of those coveted tickets to Barack Obama’s Inauguration on Tuesday. It seems that half of Western New York will be in Washington for the historic event. On Monday, Barack Obama has asked Americans to use the Martin Luther King Day as a day of service. If you don’t happen to be attending one of the Inaugural Balls in Washington; we would like to invite you to join us in Niagara Falls to shape the future.

Niagara Rises Meeting
Tuesday, January 10, 2009
6pm

Days Inn, Niagara Falls
443 Main Street

For more information visit their website.

I am asking you to do a little more than a day of service and join me and an incredible group of Niagara Falls visionaries in the planning of Niagara Homecoming. We are currently seeking volunteers to assist us in the historic event of the first Niagara Homecoming! Historic how? Well the Buffalo Event reached out and embraced the Niagara Rises organization and encourged the celebration of Niagara Falls, Buffalo and all of Western New York.

If we as a nation look at the overall problem we will never solve the problems we face. But if we focus on a single street, a block club, a community event that celebrates what we have, or volunteer in a school we provide hope. If one things improves, it inspires others to improve other areas of life here in Western New York.

So Western New York, I have an important question for you? What are you doing on Tuesday evening around 6pm? I hope to see you at the next Niagara Rises meeting!

Other grassroots organizations in Western New York that you might want to check out:

• Push Buffalo
• Buffalo First
• BuffaloREUSE

Niagara Falls Days Inn

443 Main Street | Niagara Falls NY
6pm

What is Social Media you ask?  

 Watch this short video that does a great job explaining Social Media.

Our website, NiagaraRises.com was the first step.   There are other social media sites that we can use to share what we have offer, what is happening in our wonderful community of Niagara Falls and how to communicate with each other. 

Recently we setup a Twitter account and you can follow what is happening at @NiagaraRises, today I want to introduce you toFacebook.

What is Facebook?

Facebook started out being popular with college students, today it seems everyone has a profile.  Here is an excellent tutorial about Facebook to help you through the process.    Facebook is a relatively new web application that was launched in February of 2004 and connects like minded people together.   With over 120 members, this is an amazing network to tap into.   Perhaps reach out to our friends and family that have moved away.   If you are on Facebook, please be my friend…   In the coming weeks, the group will get a group on Facebook…

What is Facebook? - More amazing video clips are a click away

You too can be part of the Social Media Revolution that is sweeping the country, just like me…

Colleen Kulikowski Real Estate Professional Hunt Real Estate ERA 3571 Niagara Falls Blvd. Wheatfield, NY, 14120 US	Work: 716-743-5297 Mobile: 716-310-4754 wnyrealestate@gmail.com http://www.buffaloniagararealestatehomesales.com/wnyrealtor
Visit me on www.NiagaraRises.com
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

Description: Next meeting of the Niagara Rises Organization will be held at the Days Inn and will bring together everyone for the planning of Niagara Homecoming!

Please come at 5pm for BLOG training if you need it. Otherwise the meeting will start at 6pm sharp!
Start Time: 18:00
Date: 2008-11-18

Niagara’s version of Graumans
Debora Krieger chair
Bill Bradberry
Kelley Casale
Eileen Soro
Frank Croisdale
April Mandeville

Targeting concerts/music festivals
Norma Higgs chair
Debora Krieger
April Mandeville

Promoting Underground Railroad/Civil War   chair needed

Development of Portage Road Passage
Kathie Kudela chair
Pete Ames

Turning WNY’s image from negetive to positive Marie Catherine/Linda O’Gradychair

Create replica of the Griffon at the old Century Club site  Marie Catherine

Use Niagara Rises to deal with the political process and keep things moving forward  chair needed

We are seeking ideas for an official name for this project.

At the last meeting Frank and I spoke with Mayor Dyster regarding this project. With his encouragement we have been in contect with Chris from USA Niagara to be included in the planning process for the new West Pedestrain Walkway. The group agreed that this is the most logical place to begin this project as it is the first step out of the State Park. We are hoping to place the first marker on that walkway in honor of Father Hennepin. We will keep everyone posted as things progress. If anyone would like to submit a name for possible inclusion, please email them to us with supporting documentation.

Published Colleen Kulikowski

On Wednesday, March 26, 2008 I will be part of a group that will be guiding a tour of Historic Downtown Niagara Falls.  Niagara Rises and I invite you to join us as we explore some of the rich architectural history of the homes in Downtown Niagara Falls.  The historic walking trail goes through Downtown and a neighborhood that was once one of the most prosperous area of Niagara Falls.  The City of Niagara Falls has produced this walking tour of Niagara Falls and Niagara Rises is in the process of organizing Guided Walking Tours for the summer.  If you are interested in joining us for this walk, here is the information about the tour:

March 26, 2008

9:00 am - 10:30 am

Meet at 1st Presbyterian Church

311 Rainbow Blvd. | Niagara Falls NY

Remember to wear comfortable walking shoes as we will be walking through Downtown Niagara Falls.  In case of rain, alternate date, will be Friday March 28th, same time and place.

Are you interested in becoming part of the Historic Walking Tour Committee?  Do you have information regarding the many historic homes in Niagara Falls?   Then join the next meeting of Niagara Rises date and time of next meeting will be posted on their website.  If you are interested in learning more about Niagara Falls History, the Friends of the Local History Department are holding an open house at the Niagara Falls Public Library at 1425 Main Street on Saturday, April 26, 2008 between 2:00 - 4:00pm.