Write a commentOn Thursday, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Oswego County honored its volunteers with their 52nd annual luncheon.
The event was hosted at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center in Oswego, with entertainment by Frank and Linda Tyrell.
Teresa Ferlito, Council Chairperson for RSVP, opened the luncheon with remarks honoring the event’s sponsors, in addition to the first of many expressions of gratitude for the volunteers who make so much of a difference to our community. She shared that the council had decided to once again adopt the theme used last year: Hands that Serve, Hearts that Care. “This theme really embodies the core of RSVP. Don’t be surprised to see this theme in other RSVP materials going forward—we have adopted it as a tagline for the program.”
Volunteers at RSVP provide a number of services to the community, including a popular free tax filing service for qualified returns; knitting and crocheting baby hats for newborns; meal deliveries for seniors; and many more.
“Your dedication and compassion are such a gift to our community,” Kathryn Watson, RSVP Project Director, told volunteers during her introduction of the keynote speaker, Amy Dumas. “You truly are the heartbeat of RSVP.”
Later on in the program, Ferlito called out the dedication of SUNY Oswego Assistant Vice President Kristie Eck, who helped preserve RSVP during a period of transition at SUNY Oswego prior to hiring Project Director Kathryn Watson.
This year’s Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards were given to: Roberta Barbera, Holly Besaw, Bonnie Frawley, Diana Gardiner, Ellen Wahl, and Ann Marie Webster. These volunteers have worked with organizations as varied as the American Red Cross, Oswego Elks, PAWS of CNY, the Merry Stitchers, Phoenix Food Pantry, Senior Camp at Camp Hollis, and many, many more. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards are given to volunteers who have contributed at least 4,000 hours of volunteer work over their lifetime.
A special recognition was given to volunteers active into their 90s. This year’s 90s Club Honorees are Darlene Adydan, Jean Feeney, Ellie Filburn, Lucy Fuss, John Godfrey, Nancy Hopkins, Theresa Sheldon, Jeannette Spicer, and Rose Woods.
Amy Dumas, Assistant Dean of Extended Learning at SUNY Oswego, was the keynote speaker, sharing her own experience with volunteerism through Paws of CNY. The non-profit helps certify cats and dogs for therapy work, including offering emotional support at nursing homes and conducting reading programs in first grade classrooms.
“I used to joke it was my part-time job that came without a paycheck,” Dumas joked with the crowd. “But in the end, I wouldn’t change a thing. Everything you need to know in life, you can learn from your dog.”
Pastor Bruce Schrader offered the invocation ahead of lunch and the benediction at the closing of the program.
RSVP is funded by grants from AmeriCorps Seniors, United Way of Oswego County, and the NYS Office for the Aging. The program was brought to Oswego in 1973 by SUNY Oswego, which continues to administer the program.
Event sponsors included Compass Federal Credit Union, James and Catherine Rice, DuFore’s for Diamonds, Oswego Quality Carpet, Mrs. Martha Sturtz, Fulton Savings Bank, Bishop’s Commons at St. Luke’s, and the Richard S. Shineman Foundation.
