Food: $2,000; donations: $100K; work of volunteers: priceless
United Way honors achievements at annual dinner
The Daily Mail and The Register-Star
April 24, 2009

CATSKILL — Several twin county residents were commended for their volunteer efforts of the last year by the United Way of Columbia & Greene Counties, Inc., at the group’s annual dinner Thursday night at Anthony’s Banquet Hall in Leeds.

Jerel “Jerry” Golub, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Golub Corporation and Price Chopper stores, addressed the United Way members and honorees after the organization’s business meeting concluded, thanking them for their selflessness.

He recounted some recent achievements made by local Price Chopper stores.

“Our folks are really genuinely interested in the communities they operate in,” he said, adding, “they have done a tremendous job.”

The Catskill store, he said, raised $2,000 for gifts and food for a family during the holidays and sponsored two local soldiers serving in Iraq. The store also adopted two miles of highway in Greene County, he said.

The store in Hudson sponsored six local families during the holiday season and the story in Chatham has been involved in local events as well, he said.

Golub said the United Way campaign has always been a cornerstone of the company’s community involvement. Thousands of corporation employees donate money to the campaign from their paychecks every week, he said.

The organization operates 177 stores in six states and requires some guidance on how money can be put to the best use locally. Price Chopper touches 42 United Way groups.

“We rely on United Way to ensure our resources are going to meet the most important needs of each community and never was that role so important as it is in today’s environment. Thank goodness United Way is here for us and able to assess the needs and reallocate resources by the community where they are most needed,” he said.

Golub replaced his father, Lewis Golub, as the chairman for the corporation’s United Way campaign three years ago.

Bernard “Ben” and William “Bill” Golub opened the family’s first self-service supermarket — the first of its kind in upstate New York — in Green Island in 1932.

Phil Jackson, United Way of Columbia & Green Counties’ board president, explained that although the United Way raises money for food pantries and other services, the organization remains flexible in order to meet the needs of the community.

This year, he said, more than $100,000 was allocated back to the communities in the twin counties.

Former United Way board member Jim Riley presented volunteerism awards and honors to several Columbia County and Greene County residents.

Charlene Paden, who initiated the Client Choice program at the Catholic Charities Food Pantry, was named the United Way Volunteer Partner of the Year. The program allows for clients and pantry staff to plan meals of foods clients like so that nothing goes to waste.

“Catholic Charities of Columbia-Greene Counties is truly blessed to have such a selfless individual who gives so freely in Charlene Paden,” Riley said.

Paden, who began volunteering at the pantry in 2007 when she moved to Taghkanic as a full-time resident, said the program has fostered greater interaction and even recipe-sharing between clients and staff.

Although she no longer volunteers with the pantry, she is active with Hospice, is training to be a certified music practitioner and has begun raising animals on her farm with her husband, Peter.

“It was just very rewarding to work there and meet the people coming there for services,” she said.

Jennifer Miller, Community Action of Greene County Inc. board president in Catskill, and Susan Fireman of The Good Dog Foundation in Ancram were named honorary partners.

Miller, who also works at First Niagara Bank in Catskill, along with her staff there, has been active with a number of programs including the Fortnightly Club of Catskill and the Ronald McDonald House Charities. She recently hosted a dinner for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

“Jennifer is absolutely committed to the growth and prosperity of her community and its constituents,” Riley announced to the attendees.

Fireman, the executive director and program coordinator of the New York-based foundation, orchestrates dog and handler teams who provide therapeutic services for adult and child clients of the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties, Inc. Twelve volunteer teacher teams participate in an educational and confidence-building after school reading program in Hudson, where students practice reading to patient and non-judgmental canine audiences.

Fireman said that although her name was on the plaque, the award belongs to the foundation’s volunteers.

Gary Van Allen, a former United Way board member, accepted a Senatorial Proclamation from Sen. Stephen M. Saland, R-Poughkeepsie, and Sen. James L. Seward, R-Oneonta, commending Metzwood Harder Insurance for making a significant contribution to the quality of life in the community. The agency, which has offices in Chatham and Kinderhook, services 5,000 clients in the area.

Siobahn Pellegrino, office supervisor of Save-a-Lot in Coxsackie, received a similar proclamation.

Pellegrino, Riley said, is responsible for encouraging Save-a-Lot employees to have United Way donations taken out of their paychecks. Pellegrino said her co-workers deserve the proclamation for making the sacrifice and for making the annual fund drive, bake sale and “cheesecake-a-thon,” a success.

“They’re the ones who pony up the dough,” she said.

Also in attendance were Price Chopper store managers from Chatham, Hudson and Catskill, the regional perishables manager, the zone director and community and public outreach director Barbara Page, who also coordinates the company’s United Way program in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.