Ortt presents State Senate Commendation to dedicated volunteer at wildlife refuge

Photos courtesy of Richard Moss: NY State Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt, left, presents a state Senate Commendation Award to Carl Zenger of Lockport. At right are Julie Hain and Dave Zenger, two of Zenger’s children who came from out of state to witness the presentation.

By Richard Moss, President of the Friends of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

LOCKPORT – Carl Zenger of Lockport has received a New York state Senate commendation from Minority Leader Sen. Robert G. Ortt in recognition of Zenger’s volunteer work at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.

Zenger, a retired mechanical engineer, has been recognized by peers, staff and the community for his unparalleled dedication to conservation. Since starting his volunteer journey in 1997, Zenger, 87, has invested over 45,000 hours — equivalent to over 22 years of a full-time employee. This all occurred after his full-time career.

Zenger also served as a volunteer firefighter for most of his adult life. So volunteering is in his blood, as Ortt put it Friday, when he presented the award at his Lockport offices.

“If everyone gave 45,000 hours – heck, if everyone gave 5,000 hours – we’d be in a much better place,” Ortt said in citing Zenger’s achievement.

(Left) Carl Zenger displays his state Senate Commendation Certificate. (Center) The state Senate Commendation coin. (Right) State Senate Commendation Award desk plaque presented to Carl Zenger.

Ortt presented Zenger with a certificate, a state Senate commendation coin, and a desk plaque he can display.

“I counted it up and I’ve woken up at 5:30 a.m. to go to the refuge 5,000 times,” said Zenger, who is usually the first one at the refuge in the morning.

Zenger said he is extremely proud of the purple martin nesting program he helped start at the refuge. He also has been heavily involved in the bluebird and kestrel nesting programs at the refuge. But he also does a lot of maintenance work, mowing and plowing, and servicing the tractors. He also has built hundreds of bluebird houses over the years.

Among the accolades Zenger has been receiving is being named Refuge Volunteer of the Year in the 2025 National Wildlife Refuge Awards by the National Wildlife Refuge Association. That national award will be formally presented on Oct. 15 during an invitation-only luncheon at Bent’s Opera House in Medina, said Richard Moss, president of the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, who is helping organize that event.

Zenger was also named 2024 Volunteer of the Year for the Northeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and has been recognized by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney for his commitment to the community.