'Lewiston Jeopardy' raises money for HAL

Team Maloni bests Team Collister in close battle

The Historical Association of Lewiston held its annual “Lewiston Jeopardy” fundraiser Wednesday night at Bella Rose Vineyard & Winery. HAL’s wine, beer and pizza competition combined local history, friendly competition, community recognition and fundraising to benefit the organization and the Lewiston Museum.

This year’s winning team was captained by (checks notes for name) Joshua Maloni of the Niagara County Tribune/Sentinel. It included members Russ Piper, the Village of Lewiston’s historian and Red Brick Municipal Building museum curator; and Second District Niagara County Legislator Michael Casale. Yaze Antiques sponsored the team. The new Middleport retail store is located at 49 Main St.

Second place went to a team captained by Town of Lewiston Historian Zach Collister. He was joined by Lewiston history buffs Lloyd Draper and Dorothy Wedge. Rocco DelGrosso and RJD Development sponsored this squad.

The "Lewiston Jeopardy" teams

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Maloni’s team got off to a hot start, building an almost double-digit lead in the general-knowledge first round. Points in the “Famous Bills” round were just about even. Collister’s crew roared back in the geography round, identifying more local locations.

Going into the final round, Maloni lead Collister by a 14-13 mark. The deciding answer was: “He enjoyed drinking so much that he often got lost walking home. So he built a driveway straight from his front door to the Frontier House. It later became known as Niagara Street.” The question: “Who was Scovell?”

Each team answered correctly. Collister wagered 8 points, while Maloni bet 13, resulting in a final score of Maloni – 27 and Collister – 21.

Volunteer host Lee Simonson

Niagara County legislators Michael Casale and Irene Myers present a check to HAL President Peter Coppins.
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Adding to the night’s festivities:

•Audience members had an opportunity to test their local knowledge – with answers, of course, given in the form of a question – and win raffles tickets (or answer incorrectly, and pay for stubs).

•A variety of special items were auctioned and raffled throughout the evening.

•HAL recognized five individuals for their volunteerism, support of the Lewiston Museum’s mission, and dedication to preserving and promoting Lewiston’s rich history and heritage:

Tom Deal and Coppins

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Tom Deal of Deal Realty was presented the Volunteer of the Year Award for his outstanding service to HAL and his many contributions to the Lewiston community.

Steve Brown and Coppins

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Steve Brown, Brown & Company LLP, was given the Business of the Year Award for decades of professional service as a trusted partner of HAL, his generous support of its mission and programs, and his longstanding record of community leadership.

Eva Nicklas, Tim Henderson and Coppins

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Tim Henderson and Eva Nicklas were recipients of the Friends of History Award for their dedication to preserving and promoting Lewiston’s heritage through their popular Marble Orchard performances portraying Josiah Tryon and Sally Barton.

Lymburner with Coppins

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Paul Lymburner received the Bruce Sutherland Outstanding Contribution Award for his exceptional volunteer service in modernizing the Lewiston Museum’s technical systems, assisting with the digitization of its archives, and developing a partnership with the Western New York Library Resources Council.

“Lewiston Jeopardy” is a local take on the classic “Jeopardy!” television program. Team sponsors make a donation to HAL and the Lewiston Museum for the opportunity to participate, helping support the organizations’ continuing efforts to preserve and promote Lewiston’s remarkable history.

Bella Rose provided the event space, while Favorites Pizza donated the food.

Once again, Lee Simonson served as volunteer host. He was assisted by buzzer and score checkers Leandra Collesano and Lisa Ohanessian.

Simonson with Leandra Collesano and Lisa Ohanessian