Community heroes honored during congressional ceremony
OBSERVER Photos by Gregory Bacon County Executive PJ Wendel welcomes friends and family members of those who were being honored during the America 250 Community Heroes Awards Ceremony.
Quinn Johnson and Eliana Katilus sing the National Anthem while members of the Cassadaga Memorial American Legion Post 1280 Honor Guard stand by during a ceremony at Cassadaga Valley High School.
Rep. Nick Langworthy, right, honors Frankie Torrain for his service to the community.
Rep. Nick Langworthy, right, honors Zen Olow for his service to the community.
OBSERVER Photos by Gregory Bacon County Executive PJ Wendel welcomes friends and family members of those who were being honored during the America 250 Community Heroes Awards Ceremony.
Quinn Johnson and Eliana Katilus sing the National Anthem while members of the Cassadaga Memorial American Legion Post 1280 Honor Guard stand by during a ceremony at Cassadaga Valley High School.
Rep. Nick Langworthy, right, honors Frankie Torrain for his service to the community.
Rep. Nick Langworthy, right, honors Zen Olow for his service to the community.
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SINCLAIRVILLE - Some are youth sports leaders. Others serve senior citizens in the community. Some have literally saved a life in crisis, others save lives through medicine. Some help improve our environment, others help improve our downtowns.
The one thing they all have in common is they're everyday heroes.
Friday, hundreds of people in the community gathered at Cassadaga Valley High School to see Rep. Nick Langworthy honor 49 people as part of the America 250 Community Heroes Award Ceremony. This was the fourth and final ceremony Langworthy has held in the 23rd Congressional District.
This ceremony was mostly made up of Chautauqua County residents, with a handful of people who live elsewhere in the district.
Those honored Friday included Michael Schneider, Arthur Austin Jr., Kurt Maytum, Ed Pagano, David Ortolano, Harry Snellings, Phyllis Gaerte, Alan Gustafson Sr., Alan Gustafson Jr., Nina Gustafson, Kristopher Gustafson, Sean Swan-Leuze, Corinne Kelly, Marie Carrubba, Zen Olow, Andrew Webster, Donald Brautigam, Cherie Rowland, Lisa Haglund, Alycia Lacki, Thom Shagla, Paul Fardink, Jeffery Levandoski, James Stenger, Reyna Knappke, Steven Smith, Marcello Rotunda, Stanley Kawski, Dawn Samuelson, Denise Valvo, Allie Burdick, Frankie Torain, Bob Bradigan, William Hussey, Catherine Harrison, H. Michael Parish, Barbara Parish, Garrett Neel, Richard and Carmen Gilman, Kathleen Collver, Patricia France, Claude Colton, Tom Atwell, Wes Tessey, Chad Boyland, Charles Nobles, Erin Parish, and June Hover.
County Executive PJ Wendel helped kick the ceremony off. "Here in Chautauqua County, we are filled with people who don't need to be asked to help; they see a need and they step up. They serve the fire department. They coach a team. They help veterans. They take care of a neighbor. They lead an organization. They volunteer at the Legion, serve in their church, mentor a young person or spend years quietly making their community just a little bit better," he said.
Langworthy, who personally placed the award medals around individuals' necks, said he felt it was important to honor those who "quietly help shape America's story."
Individuals selected were nominated by their friends, family and neighbors.
As each person was honored, a brief description was given about some of the ways they've made a difference through their service to the community.
"Across New York's 23rd Congressional District we're incredibly fortunate to have people who live out the values every single day that made this country so special for 250 years - service, sacrifice, patriotism, hard work, personal responsibility, and a commitment to something greater than one's self," Langworthy said. "The people we're honoring today demonstrate those values every single day."
Along with Wendel, other leaders who assisted Langworthy in the ceremony included state Sen. George Borrello, Assemblyman Andrew Molitor, County Clerk Greg Carlson and County Sheriff Jim Quattrone.