- By Mackenzie O'Connor
- Business & Technology
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Eleven thousand dollars was donated to local charitable organizations from the bank's endowment fund through the Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County. The honorees each designated their $1,375 award to not-for-profit organizations of their choice.
This year's individual honorees are Jody Earle of Freeville, Dan Flerlage of Ithaca, Carolina Osorio Gil of Ithaca, Leon Ginenthal of Ithaca, Joann Gruttadaurio of Ithaca, Carolyn and Howard Longhouse of Freeville, Neil Oolie of Ithaca, and Alice Wu of Ithaca.
Tompkins Trust Company President/CEO Gregory J. Hartz and Legacy Foundation President James Brown presented the awards at a reception at the bank's main office on Monday, May 16.
"I look forward to these awards every year; this is what being a community bank is about," said Hartz. "The Trust Company, through the Legacy Foundation, is proud to honor and support the work of this year's recipients. Their dedication to improving our community through volunteerism promoting the arts, culture, education, and simply helping those in need is truly extraordinary, and demonstrates the mission of the Foundation by improving the quality of life for so many here."
The James J. Byrnes Awards for Excellence program was established during the bank's Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1986 as a means of sharing its success with community members who have helped to enrich the quality of life in Tompkins County. In 2014, the Awards for Excellence program was renamed the James J. Byrnes Awards for Excellence to honor the retirement of Jim Byrnes, a longtime Ithaca resident and leader of Tompkins Financial Corporation.
The endowment is administered by the Legacy Foundation, a local not-for-profit trust. The vision of the Legacy Foundation, which began in 1945, is a commitment to "improving the quality of life in Tompkins County for those who come after us." Since 1986, the Awards for Excellence program has recognized more than 245 individuals or groups with awards totaling more than $348,000.
A capsule look at this year’s recipients:
- Jody Earle, for her dedication to Dryden Area Intergenerational Band and Chorus and her 20 years of volunteer efforts with the Dryden School District.
- Dan Flerlage, for his work creating and sustaining the Youth Farm Project, which brings together youth from diverse social and economic backgrounds to build equitable local food communities.
- Carolina Osorio Gil, for her commitment to the Latino Civic Association and sharing Latino arts-based programming through CULTURA!
- Leon Ginenthal, for his efforts to fund and create a healing garden at the Cancer Resource Center.
- Joann Gruttadaurio, for her 35-year volunteer commitment to Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County 4-H Youth Development Program.
- Carolyn and Howard Longhouse, for their dedication to the community through their work with St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Salvation Army and the Lansing Lion’s Club.
- Neil Oolie, for his volunteer efforts with the Tompkins County Workers’ Center and Loaves and Fishes of Tompkins County, and his work providing free computer repair to low-income residents of Tompkins County.
- Alice Wu, for her dedication to and volunteer efforts for Northeast Elementary, DeWitt Middle School and Ithaca High School PTAs, Vitamin L and the Fine Arts Booster Group.