SINCLAIRVILLE - Accolades, hugs and applause were all part of the party held Tuesday to honor Kathy Peters, the site manager for the Charlotte Villa Apartments in Sinclairville and the Herbert Star Apartments in Brocton.
Casting her eyes across the approximately 100 people seated under a tent on the front lawn of Charlotte Villa 1, Peters said with a characteristic smile, "This is much more exciting for me than the Washington presentation in June."
Maybe this is because the audience was made up of family members, friends and residents of the Sinclairville and Brocton sites.
Article Photos
OBSERVER?Photo by Joan Josephson
Kathy Peters is surrounded by her family members behind the park bench that was dedicated to the memory of her parents, the late Richard and Alice Christy. She holds the plaque she received in recognition of being named the state and national site manager of the year for USDA Rural Development funded housing. With her are brothers Jim Christy and Brett Christy, sister Barbara Tompsett, and sons Jason and Chris Peters.
Her recognition comes as the result of her receiving the national and state of New York site manager of the year awards for housing funded by the USDA Rural Development agency.
She received the national award in Washington, D.C. in June and was presented the state award Tuesday by Rural Development's state director Jill Harvey.
Noting Peters is the first New Yorker to win a national site manager of the year award, Harvey said, "She did an outstanding job in every category that we measure, but it was her tireless dedication on behalf of her tenants that stood out and made her the best site manager in the state and the country."
Her actions above and beyond what is expected were being recognized, Harvey said.
"She knocked every one of the criteria used to judge the award winners out of the park," she noted.
Sinclairville Charlotte Villa resident Irene Goot and Star Apartment resident Phyllis Sprague also had words of praise and presents for Peters.
"She has made Charlotte Villa I and II a home for all of us," Mrs. Goot said.
Also speaking was Peters brother, Jim Christy, who described how much she cares for her residents.
"She was born with managerial skills and has used them wisely all of her life," he said.
Peters, in turn, called her 19-plus years as a site manager an enjoyable journey.
"It means more to me than anything to share this day with you," she said to the audience, adding, "I treat my tenants like I would my parents, who aren't here any more."
These parents, Richard and Alice Christy, are being remembered with a park bench dedicated in their honor that will be placed on the Charlotte Villa's grounds.
They also will be remembered with a memorial fund Peters is establishing in recognition of them.
"I want it to be able to finance the Charlotte Villas' tenant activities, similar to the program that exists at the Star apartments," she said.
Peters also demonstrated she has pull in areas outside the apartment complexes she manages.
It was raining Tuesday morning everywhere but Sinclairville, where the sun was out and a gentle breeze was blowing.
When she was told of the rain in the area, she said, "It won't come here" and it didn't.
