NYSUT Community Service Awards: Union volunteers live the golden rule
Among the community efforts the Monroe-Woodbury TA supported during 2006 was the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, raising over $5,000 to fight the disease.
Union members volunteer countless hours of service and years worth of expertise and skills to their communities each year. NYSUT, through its Community Service Awards, is recognizing individuals and organizations that reach out in extraordinary ways at its annual convention, April 26-28, in Washington, D.C.
Pictured above: Jeanne Gilbert and Matt Golini, physical education teachers and members of the Sachem CTA, stand with second-grader Kaitlyn Hall, who collected the most money for the Nokomis Elementary School's recent fundraiser for the American Heart Association. A remarkable $11,516 was donated to support efforts to fight heart disease.
Individual winners of NYSUT's Community Service Awards for in-service members are: Denise Dilgard, Williamsville Teachers Association; Jackie Cross, Marcellus Faculty Association; Sean McHale, Carthage TA; Sophia Williamson, Mt. Vernon Federation of Teachers; Marianella Mena, Lawrence TA; Barbara Brown, North Babylon Teachers Organization; Gail Farrell, Bay Shore CTA; and Diane Ganz, UFT.
Awards for achievements by a local union will be presented to their local presidents, including; Philip Rumore, Buffalo Teachers Federation; Janet Goddard, Cheektowaga Central TA; Kathleen Ward, Depew Teachers Organization; Mary Carlson-Nowicki, Eden TA; Rosemarie Murphy, Lake Shore Central TA; Gail Niparts, Lockport Education Association; Kyle Beth Bridgeman, Newfane TA; and Joseph Catalano, Niagara Falls Teachers.
Also, Linda Roach, North Tonawanda United Teachers; Jeff Dabill, Wilson TA; John Ognibene, Cassadaga Valley Faculty Association; Richard Lewis, Fredonia TA; Beverly Engel, West Irondequoit TA; Tim Quill, Marion TA; Patricia Davidson, Newark TA; and David Lagatta, Camden TA.
Also, Jacqueline Battista, Waterville TA; Patricia Sheehan, Carthage TA; Dianne Loonan, Watertown EA; Penny Whiting, Whitehall TA; Kathryn Zajicek, Johnstown TA; Robert Maier, Arlington TA; Hugh Spoljaric, Kingston Teachers Federation; Donna Benishake; Wallkill TA; Anne Pauek, Monroe Woodbury TA; Donna Ramundo, Nyack TA; Timothy Brown, Valley Central TA; and Karen Magee, Harrison Association of Teachers.
Also, Robert Faigle, Yorktown Congress of Teachers; Rhonda Homes, Eastchester TA; Patricia Puleo, Yonkers FT; Therese Rogers, Levittown UT; Richard Goldman, Massapequa Federation of Teachers; Randee Colter, North Bellmore TA; Laura Pokorny, Plainedge FT; Michael Dolber, Bellmore-Merrick United Secondary Teachers; John Price, United Teachers of Island Trees; Karen Thomas, Bethpage Congress of Teachers; Claire Zatorski, Farmingdale FT; and Elaine Mitchell, Elmont Elementary TA.
Also, Dawn Sherwood, Hempstead Classroom TA; Joan Skowronek, Hewlett-Woodmere FA; Patrick Terkoski, Lawrence TA; Leslie Krasnoff, Oceanside FT; Barbara Hafner, West Hempstead EA; Teresa Richards, Mineola TA; Jeffrey Rozran, Syosset TA; Rose Russo, Teachers Association of Lindenhurst; Pamela Katz, North Babylon Teachers Organization; Darlene Darch, Bay Shore Classroom TA; Marcia Meirowitz, Bayport-Blue Point TA; Tim Southerton, Sayville TA; Priscilla Campbell, East Hampton TA; Nadia Resnikoff, Middle Country TA; Steven Lagnena, Rocky Point TA; Russell Mathie, Kings Park Classroom TA; Robert LaCorte, Sachem Central TA; Ellis Gage Searles, Mohawk Valley Community College Professional Association; and Ellen Schuler Mauk, Faculty Association of Suffolk CC.
Individual awards for retired members, selected by Retiree Council, will be presented to: Ruth Brown, Retiree Council 4; Anthony Montanaro, RC 5; Craig Pratt, RC 6; Carole Gehrig, RC 8; Juanita Stone, RC 9; Marcia Nickerson, RC 10; Carolyn Darkangelo, RC 12; Judith Schecter, RC 17; Mireille Taub, RC 18; Phyllis White, RC 20; Nancy Porta Libert, RC 21; Renee Bachman, RC 24; Eileen Bernstein, RC 24; Hinton Causey, RC 24; Christine Charitis, RC 24; Louis Feldman, RC 24; Judith Goldberg, RC 24; Lauren Grant, RC 24; Donesa Jackson, RC 24; Judith Jaffe, RC 24; Janet Kaplan-Pressman, RC 24; Rose Malinconico, RC 24; Margot Marinangeli, RC 24; Francine Brewer, RC 37; and Patricia Stamm, RC 43.
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Union to honor 10 who saved a life
Delegates to the annual convention will honor the following winners of NYSUT's Lifeline Award for taking action to save a life.
Lifesavers include:
- Eugenia Quagliana of the North Tonawanda United Teachers, who stopped a 13-year-old neighbor from re-entering his burning home to rescue a dog.
- Robert Husain of the Mayfield Teachers Association, who came to the aid of a potential drowning victim by hauling him out of a lake.
- Dean Berardo, Patricia Frische and John Kinnane, all of the Brewster TA, who came to the aid of a choking student and cleared the student's airway.
- Elizabeth Adams and Jennifer Keane, both of the Jericho TA, who used their training and skills to save the life of a school custodian when he went into cardiac arrest.
- Robert Fitzgerald of the Bay Shore Classroom TA, who came to the aid of a choking victim and successfully performed the Heimlich maneuver on her.
- Chris Nentwich of the Rocky Point TA, who pulled a motorist from a burning vehicle.
- Michael Doyle of the Eastport/South Manor TA, who dived into a pond to save the life of a motorist who had driven off the road.