FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                               Contact: Roberta Keller

Friday, May 27, 2005                                                                            366-3333

 

COI Celebrates 40 Years of Community Action

Secretary of State Randy Daniels Featured Guest at Dinner Event

 

Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. (COI) celebrated its 40th anniversary Thursday, May 26th, during a special dinner event at the Athenaeum Hotel on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution.  COI, a community action agency formed as a result of the Economic Opportunity Act, was created to fight poverty at the local level and leverage local support and awareness of the causes and solutions to poverty.

 

COI Executive Director Roberta Keller said, “Community Action has been around for 40 years, responding to local needs, governed by local leadership, creating local services that have generated economic options for low income individuals and families to escape the hold of poverty; and move toward self sufficiency and economic independence.”

 

New York State Secretary of State Randy Daniels was the featured guest at the event.  Mr. Daniels was appointed New York State Secretary of State by Governor Pataki in April 2001.  He oversees the 17 divisions of the Department of State which include the Division of Local Government and Community Services and the Division of Business and Licensing Services.

 

Chautauqua County Executive Mark W. Thomas issued a proclamation honoring the agency for its 40 years of service.

 

Other special guests that attended the dinner included NYS Department of State Division of Community Services Director Evelyn Harris and NYS Community Action Association CEO Dan Maskin.

 

Executive Director Keller and the COI Board of Directors recognized Clyde Card, who had recently retired from the board after 14 years of service. The agency also recognized COI employees with 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service.  The following employees received service awards:

 

10 Years                                 15 Years                                 20 Years

Patty Harris                              Kim Firster                               Mary Curtiss

Kathryn Bull                             Evelyn Norris                           Gloria Carey

Donald Cave                            Marcia Bowers             Kathryn Willis

Dorothy Roberson                    Martha Nickerson                    Sharon Fisher

Shery Kolasa                            Tammie Hunter             Doris Parment

Minerva Cortes                        Dorothea Hart                          Janice Zebracki

Lorraine Dean                          Lenora Majka

Caryl Larkin                             Ruthanne Deraimo                    25 Years

Linda Richmond                       Beryl Smith                               Elaine Paddock

Robert Runge                           Cheryl Eckwahl                        Marilyn Terry

Yvonne Ameno                        Beth Jackson

Loretta Albright                        Anna Vecchio

Diana Gilbert                            Michael Fisher

Jaimee Kelly                             Nilda Rios

Linda Gunther                           Shirley Bentham

Beth Mulkin                              Linda Armella

Dennis Wakelee                       Angela Couchman

Christa Kelley

 

COI continues to work with the community to bring in resources, to partner with other service providers, and to create new opportunities for low income families and individuals in Chautauqua County.  There are two community councils that work in conjunction with agency management.  The councils offer an opportunity for community members to give valuable input regarding the agency.  To receive more information about becoming part of one of these councils, please call 366-3333 ext. 225.

 

-30-