11/15/2023
Kathy Bird, Barbara Van Slyke among those honored by New York State Office for the Aging —
The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) recently honored over 90 older adults for their volunteerism as part of NYSOFA’s annual Older New Yorkers’ Day celebration on November 3.
According to the NYSOFA, awardees were nominated by New York’s 59 county Offices for the Aging and their partners who identified older adults making substantial contributions in their communities through their support of charitable causes, their work with local health care and human services organizations, grassroots civic contributions, volunteer work with emergency management corps, local fundraising activities, and so much more.
Among those honored were two residents of Hamilton County: Kathy Bird of Indian Lake and Barbara Van Slyke of Wells.
The following submissions for Kathy Bird and Barbara Van Slyke are from the NYSOFA commemorative booklet:
— Kathy Bird —
Kathy Bird, a resident of Indian Lake for seven decades, has positively impacted her community through her commitment to service and community engagement. She lovingly raised her two daughters in this tight-knit town, embodying the values of compassion and community spirit.
During her daughters’ formative years, Bird selflessly participated in Girl Scouts, extending a helping hand whenever needed. For multiple years, she ensured the safety of school children as the school crossing guard and even donned Santa Claus attire during Christmas, delighting children with candy canes and spreading joy.
Her compassionate care made a lasting impact during a 15-year tenure helping at a two-person home for the developmentally disabled.
A cornerstone of Indian Lake’s civic life, Bird actively participates in numerous town activities and organizations, including veterans programs and the Reuse Recycle Building, which she helped revive post-pandemic though a petition campaign.
She is also responsible for crafting the original Ollie the Otter mascot for the Indian Lake Winter Carnival, adding an element of fun to the festivities.
Bird’s profound dedication to community projects is a testament to her caring and compassionate personality. “If you want to keep your community glued together, volunteering is a must,” she says.
— Barbara Van Slyke —
Barbara Van Slyke is a tireless and cherished pillar of the Wells, New York community.
Her commitment to service spans a wide array of organizations.
As a dedicated member of the Wells Volunteer Ambulance Corp, Van Slyke sorts cans and bottles, sells raffle tickets, and actively participates in regular meetings.
For the past 18 years, she has been an integral part of the Wells Garden Club, where she even assumed the role of president for one year. Van Slyke’s enthusiasm shines through her contributions, from working on floats for “Old Home Days” to managing the community garden and assisting in growing produce for the food pantry.
During the summer months, she graciously guides visitors through local history as a member of the Wells Historical Society. Her contributions extend to baking pies, knitting hats for newborns at Nathan Littauer Hospital, and aiding in exhibit setups.
Van Slyke’s commitment to altruism includes regular blood donations to the American Red Cross since 2003 and five years of service on the Hamilton County Cooperative Extension Board.
A devout church elder at Johnstown Reform Church, Van Slyke actively participates in the choir, assists with church dinners, and estimates her involvement in over 600 such events since joining.
She has been delivering meals to homebound seniors for the Warren/Hamilton Counties Office for the Aging for the past 15 years and volunteers as needed for the monthly chicken and biscuit dinners at Wells United Methodist Church.
Van Slyke encourages older adults to embrace volunteering, noting how much communities rely on their contributions.
NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen said, “It is my distinct honor to recognize this year’s nominees who make the state a better place to live and age for all New Yorkers through their decades of volunteerism, civic engagement, and selflessness. We often don’t think of older New Yorkers as an economic and social powerhouse, but that is exactly who they are, and it is our honor to recognize these contributions and showcase their incredible value. I also thank our 59 county offices for the aging and the Association on Aging in New York for their daily efforts serving millions of older New Yorkers.”
Awardees also include volunteers for two statewide NYSOFA-administered programs: The Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (or HIICAP) and the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program. These volunteers assume specialized roles that demand many hours of training, intricate problem-solving, and coordination with local organizations to help older adults.
Collectively, this slate of awardees has more than 5,500 years of life experience, more than 4,000 years of family experience, has volunteered for a combined 2,568 years, and raised 298 children, 295 grandchildren, 101 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
In November of 2022, Governor Hochul initiated the Master Plan for Aging (MPA), which coordinates existing and new state policies and programs for older adults and their families and those living with disabilities. A major goal of the MPA is to help individuals successfully age in place and continue to be active and engaged in their communities.
For more information and to read the entire booklet of this year’s awardees go online to aging.ny.gov.
Contributions of Older Adults
Each year in New York, nearly 1 million volunteers age 60 and over contribute 495 million hours of community service at an economic value of $13.8 billion.
Beyond volunteering, New York’s 4.84 million older adults provide pivotal intellectual, social and economic capital to our state. They are responsible for most volunteering, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and donation activities in the U.S. out of any demographic group.
Meanwhile, 64 percent of individuals age 60 and over own their own homes and have no mortgage, contributing directly to the local tax base.
Adults 50 and over are also responsible for approximately $1.8 trillion in federal, state and local taxes, a figure that will quadruple by 2050.
They support almost 7 million jobs and represent 63 percent of the state’s GDP ($700+ billion). Visit NYSOFA’s website for more data.
— STAFF REPORT
