- By Marcia E. Lynch
- Around Town
Print 
The Corrine Galvin Award will be presented to William Myers, Chief Executive Officer, Alternatives Federal Credit Union, and to Jessie Brown. This award is presented to recognize an individual’s work on a single human rights issue, devoting time to advance the goals of human rights, resisting and combating oppression, and advocating for the rights of the diverse communities within Tompkins County.
The James L. Gibbs Award will be presented to Audrey Cooper, Director, Multicultural Resource Center, and to Wies van Leuken, Ithaca Amnesty International. This award recognizes a group involved in a human rights activity, showing an ongoing effort to advocate and promote a human rights agenda, fostering a n understanding of discrimination and leading others to positively combat oppression in all its forms within Tompkins County.
The Marjorie N. Penlaver Award will be presented to Leslie Jones, Esq., Southern Tier Advocacy and Mitigation Project (S.T.A.M.P.) and Barry Derfel, Ithaca City School District. This award is for an individual educator in any school, at any level, from throughout the county who has accomplished the most in the area of human rights through work increasing awareness of human rights, diversity and /or issues of oppression within Tompkins County.
The Michael Padula Award will be presented to the Ithaca Free Clinic. This award honors an individual in law enforcement, corrections fire or emergency medical rescue work for efforts to bring better understanding and an awareness for human rights ideals to their colleagues and the community at large, with a special emphasis on bridging cultural and racial differences within Tompkins County.
The Sandy Pollack Award will be presented to the Education Department of Planned Parenthood of the Southern Finger Lakes and to The Ithaca 50 representatives: Mariette Geledenhuys, Esq., Elizabeth Bixler, Esq., Diane Bruns, Esq., and Richard Stumbar, Esq. This award honors an individual or group working to advocate and educate for basic civil and human rights of gays and lesbians within Tompkins County.
The Steven Fellows Award will be presented to Sorbrique “Sorby” Grant, Cornell University Public Service Center. This award recognizes an individual or group dedicated to promoting a higher quality of life for people with disabilities through an ongoing, sustainable project, service, or program that raises the level of awareness about people with disabilities in Tompkins County.
The Beverly J. Martin Award will be presented to Ben Nichols, former Mayor, City of Ithaca. This award is presented to an individual involved in human rights work in education, showing a lifelong devotion and effort to educate the community and to create effective redress and empowerment so that all facets of the community can reach their educational potential within Tompkins County.
The awards dinner was held at Ithaca’s Beverly J. Martin Elementary School Gymnasium.
----
v3i16