Archive: Around Town

Tuesday evening saw the Ithaca-Cayuga Rotary Club at the Elizabeth Restaurant for the club's annual Annual Outstanding Community Service Award.  This year the club honored Mary Searles for a lifetime of community service, which is a foundation of the club.  "For many years the Ithaca-Cayuga Rotary Club has made a point of honoring a member of the community with the community service award," said Dennis Mogil.  "We usually choose the member of the community that has made volunteerism and community service a way of life."

Searles' daughter Fran Sampson and daughter-in-law Nancy Searles joined more than 30 people who came to honor their mother.  After dinner Chuck Brodhead read the citation, after which it was presented to Searles by club president Dennis Mogil.  Before the presentation past President AnnMarie Hautaniemi offered a prayer.  "May we awaken to the gifts that we have been given and use them well and responsibly in the service of others," she said.  "May the use of those gifts through service open our hearts and minds to the unity of all life, whether in our family, our neighborhood, or the world."


The Ithaca-Cayuga Rotary Club is the Lansing branch of the world-wide service organization.  The club is an offshoot of the Ithaca Rotary, and still works closely with that and other local chapters.  The club supports local organizations, co-sponsors the Cornell Rotaract Club, contributes to the Rotary Foundation, awards scholarships to Lansing High School students, and conducts many fund raising activities throughout the year, among other activities.  The club meets every Tuesday at Kendall at Ithaca.


Searles is the most recent of a distinguished list of recipients that includes Roy Dexheimer, Andy Sciarabba, Rita Demarest, Cecelia Linscott, Willard Daetsch, Lyle Wadell, and Monty and Ellie May.  She has volunteered with 4-H for the kids, the Volunteer Firemen's Women's Auxiliary, Lansing United Methodist Church's youth ministry, and the Lansing Food Pantry, which she is now the Director of.  After husband William passed away prematurely, Searles transformed from a farmer's wife to a home health aide for Family and Children's Services, where she continued to volunteer after she retired.  Hautaniemi notes that there are many worthy Lansing people who are being considered for future recognition.

"There are many words that those who know you use to describe you, Mary Searles," read Brodhead.  "In fact, you are something of a study in contrasts. On one hand bright, cheerful, unassuming, almost embarrassed when a light is shone upon you, yet there's a bit of a clown in you.  On the other hand you are a person of enormous energy, grit, and determination with a little bit of Annie Oakley mixed in.  But if there is one word that may define you the most, it's Care, Care mixed liberally with love."


The tribute was lighthearted but heartfelt, making note of Searles' clown personna, noting a likeness to Annie Oakley as the gun-toting Searles protected her sheep herd from wild animal attacks, and thanking her for allowing a cell tower to be erected on her property so that residents can get better reception.  But the focus was on her lifetime of service, notably to the Lansing Food Pantry.  "You devote countless hours to coordinating the efforts of 100 volunteers to provide at least 200 needy people with enough food for five meals a month," Brodhead said.  "You also hustle area residents, churches, schools, and businesses for support; apply for grants and other funding; and foster good nutritional practices."

Searles has also been honored for her work at the Lansing Food Pantry by the United Way, and as a Lansing Star in this publication.


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