GREENE COUNTY OLDER AMERICANS MONTH

In April 1963, President John F. Kennedy designated the month of May as Senior Citizen month.  Later in 1980, President Jimmy Carter changed the name to Older Americans month.  The Administration on Aging, part of the Administration for Community Living, is pleased to announce the theme for Older Americans Month 2024. The theme, “Powered by Connection”, highlights the profound impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on our senior’s health and well-being.  Connectedness plays a vital role in supporting independence and aging in place by combatting isolation, loneliness, and other issues.  

Here in Greene County, the county Legislature proclaims May as Greene County Older Americans Month when it expresses appreciation for the commitment and valuable service of outstanding senior citizens throughout Greene County.  In conjunction with this, the Advisory Council to the Greene County Department for the Aging conducts a search for local senior citizens to be recognized for their dedicated and hard work to make our communities a better place to live.  In recognition of these significant contributions to the Greene County community, the Legislature will honor all nominees for the senior awards.  Two dedicated individuals are chosen to receive special recognition from Greene County Legislature in the categories of Senior Citizen of the Year and Outstanding Contribution by a Senior Citizen.  These two county winners will also be submitted to NYS for special recognition.

This year, Sylvia Hasenkopf of Cairo has been honored as the 2024 Senior Citizen of the Year and Steve Whateley of Athens will receive the Outstanding Contribution by a Senior Citizen award.

Sylvia Hasenkopf has been a Greene County resident since 1997.  She has been a volunteer in her community for the past 13 years.  She has been active with the Greene County Historical Society since 2000 and the Cairo Historical Society since 2010.  She has served as President of the Cairo society since 2017.  Sylvia has been instrumental in the Cairo Hometown Heroes Banner program, and even co-authored a book on the subject back in 2016.   In addition, she compiled a dairy of letters, entitled “May God Have Mercy on my Soul” in 2013.  Sylvia has been responsible for 11 historical markers within the town of Cairo and has given numerous lectures on Greene County and Cairo’s history.  She is responsible for the Cairo Historical Society’s Capital Campaign and is the editor of the Cairo Herald, their quarterly journal.  In 2023, she received the Small Business of the Year for her work with local newspaper, Porcupine Soup.  In 2015 she was awarded from Greene County, the Ellen Rettus Planning Achievement Award for her banner work and in 2017 was named Zadock Pratt Benefit Honoree.  In 1999, she created the Tracing Your Roots in Greene County web site to research Greene County history and genealogy.

Steve Whately has been a Greene County resident for the past 35 years, currently residing in Athens, is a member of the Athens Senior Citizens Club and has volunteered for the past 10 years.  He has worked as a radio disc jockey and custodian.  He donates his time to the Athens Community Food Pantry by unloading trucks and preparing food orders for others. He volunteers for the Rivertown Senior Center by creating and managing a Facebook page for the center, as well as DJ’ing for various activities at the center.  Steve works hard to promote the center making sure that seniors in the community are informed.  His kindness and dedication to his fellow senior citizens is reflected in his volunteer service to the center.  He believes that he is making a difference by volunteering and that it’s the right thing to do.

In May, Sylvia and Steve will be recognized at the Greene County Legislature meeting.  In addition, the following seniors will be recognized by Greene County with Certificates of Merit: Maggie Apgar of Athens, and Jack and Jan Schane of Hunter for their selfless volunteering.  Later this year, Sylvia and Steve will be invited to a NYS ceremony as part of the 2024 Older New Yorkers Day celebration in Albany.