Reporter Liberty Himmel reviews a new book store in downtown Buffalo.

The Hilbert Senior Leadership Cohort 4 and Hilbert Helpers put together the biggest campus event, which was the Cure SMA, Walk and Roll on April 16th.

Approximately 200 people attended the event to raise awareness and money to find a cure for SMA. The senior leadership raised $19,000. 

The event consisted of several basket raffles, prize wheels, sensory table for kids, and two pharmaceutical companies for SMA in attendance. The event concluded with a walk; all 232 people walked three laps around campus to support the awareness to SMA. 

Bailey Walter, a student and participant, said she was proud to be part of the effort.

“I am extremely grateful for all the hard work that leadership cohort 4 and Hilbert helpers put in the last three months to make this event possible,” she said. “We have 200 attendees and raised $19,000 which I am currently still trying to wrap my head around. The event was amazing, and we all got to meet so many amazing families.” 

Lauryn Scott, a current Hilbert student, she was surprised by the large turn out.

“It was amazing how many people were in attendance of this event,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen an event on campus that has had this many people. The event taught me a lot of things about SMA because I did not know about this disease before”. 

The event was put together with the six leadership seniors: Jordan Salomone, Bailey Walter, Bryianna Williams, Hunter Holler, Curtis Krajewski, and Stephen Houghton. 

The Hilbert Hawks women’s softball team went on a trip to Myrtle Beach, North Carolina where They participated in a softball tournament, competing against seven[SJ1]  other college softball teams.  

Senior ^first basemen, Bailey Budziszewski said the team trip helped prepare them for the upcoming season this spring. 

“Practice is necessary and helps us improve, Budziszewski said. “Playing in games is much different than practicing in the gym among ourselves though it allowed us, specifically the coaches, to see what we can do. We can now have a better idea of our strengths and weaknesses individually and as a team.”

The 2023 Hawks will go into the season with two senior captains – Bailey Budziszewski and Victoria Lakeman – along with 23 other players. “The trip to Myrtle Beach created an opportunity for the players to build a stronger chemistry with each other.”

“We spent a lot of quality time together on and off the field,” senior captain Victoria Lakeman said. “We stayed in suites when we go to Myrtle Beach with about eight to 10 players per suite. We go grocery shopping together, make meals together and do various housekeeping tasks like washing our uniforms together. It was definitely a chance to get to know each other better and discover similarities among all of us.”

The Hawks will officially start their season  March 28, 2023, playing away at Elmira College at 3 pm. Individuals will be able to online stream the game through the Hilbert website.

Our economy is in a weird state currently that has prices everywhere rising. This includes prices on store shelves, as well as prices at the gas pump. To get a further insight into what is currently happening I interviewed someone who has seen and is being affected by it firsthand.

The man that I interviewed is known as Dane Rose and is currently the (Chief Operations Officer) of Witco Incorporated. His company owns and runs a convenient store, liquor store, gas station and is also trying to also get an escape room going. In my mind he was the perfect person to interview for more insight on the economy.

As your time of being a COO have you ever seen any major or slight changes in the economy?

“Through the end of Covid the market has definitely taken a turn. By that time things started to change a bit. People started to come out, but we also saw the start of price fluctuations and the start of inflation.”

Has inflation ever affected your business, or has it ever been an issue for you?

“Yea, it affected everything on a full scale. Every product made from caps made to put on plastic bottles that house something as simple as water or Pepsi. Anything made like that along the supply chain has been affected by a large amount. It’s been an incremental value at the cost standpoint that has been passed onto the customer and has created some of the inflation still seen today”

Have any of your other products been affected by inflation?

“Some of it’s been artificial inflation. There have been manufacturers who have taken advantage of a situation when they see a competitor move up. Consumers and distributors have taken advantage of that, even down to distribution on the level at the cost of diesel. Diesel has gone up a lot, over the course of the last two years and that’s something were minimum orders have gone up, minimum sur charges, minimum freight charges have definitely seen an incremental value.”

Have you seen some products’ prices change more over others, like gas compared to plastics?

“After the last election it was one thing you’ve definitely seen. Our gas prices… some unleaded and bio diesel both have definitely incrementally increased. It more than doubled in some stand points and it’s tough, especially for some people on a limited income basis. You have a set amount of money to spend and now you have to see them pick and choose what they can and cannot buy and where they can and cannot go, based on the cost of fuel. Some products are just monkey see monkey do where a competitor will see another take a raise, then they’re going to take a raise too.”

In the near or distant future how do you see market prices in the economy changing?

“Once people agree to pay a certain price for something, it never really goes back down. In our industry across our three markets that we deal with. We never really see price decreases. It’s only ever price increases. Once the consumers agree to pay, then that’s kind of what you’re stuck with. The manufacturer goes to the whole Saler, the whole Saler goes to the retailer, retailer to the consumer, and all across the board nobody wants to take a cut. That’s just one of the horrible things about inflation.”

Finally, do you have anything you could add personally about the state of our economy?

“Like I said it’s tough because once people agree to pay a price it never really changes. The only thing that ever really changes is more on a larger scale with interest rates. We saw a big increase in home buying over the last couple of years because interest rates were so low, we saw an increase in vehicle buying because interest rates were low and now those are all starting to rise. The people that go into a house like that and you’re paying a higher interest rate, it really affects your everyday dollar.”

McGrath Library hosted March Midterm Madness, an event that offered students assistance and an opportunity to relax amid the stress of midterms early this month.

Many students came and enjoyed themselves. Some ate, some relaxed by talking with friends and playing with Lego blocks, and others learned more about the campus and upcoming events.

 “Today’s event is basically to give students the opportunity to connect with different departments and learn about what they do, as well as to promote some of the school’s upcoming obligations or events, such as registering for housing, registering for classes, registering for financial aid, making sure they understand the college infrastructure, and also to give students a nice welcome back from spring break with food, a therapy dog, and things like that,” said Alex Edward the economic success coordinator at Hilbert who helped prepare the event.

Cookies, cocoa, popcorn, and candy were available for free for students. The library provided a fun and relaxing environment for students to spend time with their friends and classmates. “Students should expect this every year, and I believe there was a similar event last year where students could enjoy the same activities as today”, said Edward.

The event covered a wide range of information to keep students up to date, but one event or program that students should look into, as promoted by the campus safety representative, was a self-defense class for both men and women.

This will be a scenario-based, dynamic training program. The course will address “interpersonal human aggression and the physiological and psychological effects of imminent danger,” according to the materials promoting this program for the month of April.

 Students should also be aware that the campus safety team is promoting an additional program in which students can receive 1st Aid, CPR, AED, and bleeding control training. If you are interested in any of these two programs, contact Bailie at jbailie@hilbert.edu if you require any additional information.

Edward said students had fun and were pleased with the event and some even went to see the therapy dog. The overall experience was positive.

“I thought the event was fantastic,” Mathew Domagala, a senior at Hilbert College majoring in forensic science, said. “They had a variety of stations set up where you could talk to people from various departments, get information, and ask questions about anything,”.

As the Great Northern Elevator is dismantled, another beacon of Buffalo culture seeks to emerge in its shadow.

Situated on Ganson Street in the city of Buffalo is a budding and promising coffee shop. Wonderhouse Coffee provides a unique coffee and breakfast experience that screams Buffalo cuisine. With Riverworks and the Buffalo River as its backdrop, Wonderhouse features a drive-thru and a plethora of menu options. Waffle inspired dishes line the menu, featuring desserts and breakfast sandwiches that incorporate the waffle as the focal point of the dish.

Upon entering, the guest is met with a pleasant aroma that smells like maple syrup, cinnamon, powdered-sugar and funnel cake. The atmosphere is rustic and homey, with apparel and other Buffalo themed goods lining the walls. Adequate seating provides an inviting dine-in atmosphere. Old container hulls reside out back, providing outdoor seating for those who wish to dine outside.

I ordered a black coffee, alongside a waffle dish termed the “Pioneer.” The coffee was bold and robust, with a perfect bean to water ratio. The Pioneer was truly an awe-inspiring dish with a decadent presentation. Warmed blueberries top two waffles and serve as a filling. Additionally, brie cheese is melted in the middle, resembling the texture and flavor of cream cheese. It’s topped off with a sprinkle of powdered-sugar. This dish truly melts in your mouth, and the ingredients surprisingly complement one another.

Wonderhouse is located 16 minutes away from the Hilbert campus and can be reached quickest by traveling along Route 5.

Its namesake truly evokes wonder, as their menu is diverse and off the beaten track. Featuring a rating of four and a half out of five stars on Yelp, Wonderhouse Coffee has truly left many Buffalonians and outsiders alike impressed with what the City of Good Neighbors has to offer. As for myself, I’d personally rate Wonderhouse 5/5 stars, with no complaints whatsoever.

Hilbert hosted an outdoor neon roller skating event as part of Bert Fest.

Hilbert will host a celebration of its international students and their cultures Tuesday afternoon in Franciscan Hall.

The event, which runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., will include salsa dancing, polish food and henna art.

Kera Bush-Turner, Hilbert’s international student coordinator, said she hopes the event will boost the visibility of international students on campus and teach students about one another’s traditions.

“Our goal for this event is to have the entire Hilbert community learn more about our international diversity and how they can leave their mark on the world,” Bush-Turner said.

The scheduled events are:

• Salsa dancing with award-winning dance teacher Fanny Olaya, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Tabling by international students, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Henna art from Lori Henna Studio, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Polish Cuisine from the Wanderer Hut food truck, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.