DANSVILLE — The United Way of Livingston County held its last meeting of the current campaign season today at Scovill’s Grill, where guests enjoyed a breakfast and met the new campaign chair, Livingston County Tourism Director Lisa Burns.
Current campaign chairman Matt Cole announced the 2012 campaign raised $245,272. Then he introduced Burns, who will take over for him on next year’s campaign.
“She adds so much energy to the team,” Cole said about Burns. “I’m sure she’ll make a great campaign chair.”
United Way Board Chair Barry Haywood had equal praise for Cole at the event.
“You’ve done so much to help so many people in Livingston County,” he said. “We’re indebted to you.”
Karen Rumfola, the regional director of the Livingston County United Way, recognized the accomplishments of the campaign coordinators by presenting them with awards. The Award of Excellence plus, which is the highest award, was given to the Livingston County Employees, which was coordinated by Pat Rountree, Frank Bassett, and assisted by Michelle Post & Kathy Olson (County Clerk’s Office), Kim Kavanaugh and Steve Woodruff (Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation), Michelle Davidson (Social Services), Elaine Szoczei (Highway Dept.), Amy DeGroff, Patty Avery (Sheriff’s Office) and Alise Rounsville & Susan Rountree (Public Health). The team raised $36,318.
Five Star Bank, Wegmans of Geneseo, Kraft Foods, Genesee-Wyoming Railroad were also recognized.
The Award of Excellence went to Barilla America, Genesee Valley Penny Saver, National Grid, Tri-County Family Medicine, The Bank of Castile/Tompkins Insurance, Livingston County Chamber of Commerce, CP Ward-Livingston Associates, Power & Construction Group, Applied Energy Solutions, Arkema, Inc, and Seneca Foods.
The organizations that received certificates of achievement were American Red Cross’s Northern Livingston Co. Chapter, Community Bank of Dansville, Genesee Valley Credit Union, HSBC Bank, Geneseo Branch Key Bank’s Geneseo Branch, Chances & Changes, and Avon, Dansville, Caledonia-Mumford, Livonia and York school districts. Rumfola also acknowledged the new initiatives Noyes Memorial Hospital and Bristol ID Technology.
Rumfola awarded the Good Neighbor Award to Donna Perham, Dianne Fergerson, Doris Leslie and Debbie Telfer, the Ladies at Holy Ground ministry Church, who took over the Back Pack program from United Way at York Central School. The second Good Neighbor Award went to Joe Gilroy, the coordinator at Kraft Foods. In his tenure, Gilroy has helped raise over $200,000 for United Way.
Burns closed the breakfast event with a few words.
“It is my distinct honor to serve and to represent this county and everyone in this county, because we are a kind, giving community,” Burns said.