Youth Board will recognize 20 local students, 2 outstanding adults

MURRAY – The Orleans County Youth Board will holds its 34th annual Youth Recognition Dinner at Hickory Ridge Golf and Country Club on May 12 and will recognize 20 young people for their commitment to community service and/or their impressive role in their family. Additionally, the dinner will recognize one adult youth worker and an adult volunteer.

The following young people will be recognized: Amanda Blackburn, Randal Eblacker, Evan Gaesser, Kenzie Galletta, Allyson Irwin, Dixon Keon, Jessica Mandigo, Natalie Mrzywka, Rose Pajek, Cassandra Sargent, Damian Schoonmaker, Zachary Shaffer, Ian Smith, Julia Smith, Kyle Thaine, Andrea Toussaint, Joseph Velez, Baylee VerCruysse, Austen Vroman and Angela Weaver.

Gerry Golden is receiving the Helen R. Brinsmaid Memorial Youth Worker Award from his position as a caseworker at Orleans County Department of Social Services for going above and beyond with the families he works with.

Robert Brice is receiving the Eileen Heye Adult Volunteer Award for all the work he does for the Holley community.

The keynote speaker for the evening will be Jeremy Babcock, an Albion volunteer firefighter who is currently is the Executive Director of Housing at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Babcock, 39, oversees a staff of 24, the residential halls and 1,000 apartments. He deals with everything from keys, pest control, furniture, laundry facilities and many other issues.

Babcock is also a talented golfer. He lives an active life despite being born with birth defects in both arms.

“I’m really fortunate with what I can do,” Babcock told the Orleans Hub in a previous interview. “My family and friends always pushed me.”