Natalie Luczkowiak

Natalie Luczkowiak is running for the First Ward Common Council seat in Dunkirk.

She was born and raised in the First Ward. “My dad worked at True Temper since he arrived back from occupied Germany, enlisted with the Army. My Mom worked at the Plaza drugstore and then Off Track Betting. They were both in a union, with my dad being the secretary of his.

“I have an amazing son whom I raised in Buffalo, he had a great public education. He began at the Early Childhood Center on Main near Jewett and ended with a Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Buffalo. He is now in New York City as a real estate agent/broker with Rose Associates — one of the top five.

“Currently, I am working with the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services, and am a Notary Public. However, my past work history has given me an abundance of experience with the most quantitive being at Macy’s. I began there in the late 1990s as manager of the Elizabeth Arden bay. After about 10 years, I became their wedding registry consultant. I moved to this position because of the many trips to New York City, my son had just moved there. While at this position, the economy took a fall, and the world was introduced to President Barack Obama.

“This began my activist chronicles. The most profound was as an Organizer and Community Health Advocate with Citizen Action, with a grant through the Community Service Society. I would like to share one of the interesting stories that I experienced during that time. A man called hopelessly.

“He was diagnosed with prostate cancer, without insurance, and Medicaid had turned him down. He was just a little over the Medicaid threshold, like $10. This was during a Republican county executive reign. I said, ‘Didn’t they tell you about the Medicaid Cancer Treatment Program? It covers four types of cancer, prostate is one of them and the threshold is higher.’ I connected him to my contact there. I had met another advocate working at a community agency who had experienced the same.

“With some boldness and real warmhearted concern for Dunkirk, I know I can raise us out of the struggle and gridlock my opponent has facilitated as its front runner. We can make strides and positive changes again. Let’s return to progress!”

Luczkowiak is the endorsed Democrat and Working Families Party candidate. She also is a CSEA member.