ALBANY — The New York State Office for the Aging recently honored 100 older adults for their extraordinary volunteerism as part of NYSOFA’s annual Older New Yorkers’ Day celebration.
The event took place May 27, in Albany, during Older Americans Month.
New York’s 59 county and municipal offices for the aging and their partners nominate older adults who have made their communities stronger, vibrant, and welcoming, through their remarkable volunteer and civic contributions.
Local awardees were Cynthia Gagnier of Clinton County, Stephen and Edna Bowers of Essex County, and Chad Niles and Patricia Sullivan of Franklin County.
The theme of Older Americans Month 2025 is “Flip the Script on Aging” to focus on transforming how society perceives, talks about, and approaches aging. It encourages individuals and communities to challenge stereotypes and dispel misconceptions.
“Every year it’s an absolute privilege to recognize older New Yorkers who have made their communities a better place through their tireless dedication to serving others,” state office for the aging director Greg Olsen said. “Older adults make a positive impact on every community across our state through their knowledge, economic capital and civic engagement. NYSOFA is honored to highlight their contributions. I also applaud our 59 county offices for the aging and the Association on Aging in New York for providing and advancing vital services to older adults across the state every day.”
The honorees are recognized for their support of charitable causes, their work with local health care and human services organizations, grassroots civic contributions, volunteer work with emergency management corps, local fundraising activities, and so much more. Awardees also include volunteers for two statewide NYSOFA-administered programs: The Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program and the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program. These volunteers assume specialized roles that demand many hours of training, intricate problem-solving, and coordination with local organizations to help older adults.
This year’s honorees have collectively volunteered more than 3,000 years of service, raised 243 children, 420 grandchildren, 122 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. Fifteen are veterans.
Association on Aging in New York Executive Director Rebecca Preve said, “The Association on Aging in New York is thrilled to join the New York State Office for the Aging in celebrating the enormous volunteer contributions and impacts of older New Yorkers. Volunteers are paramount in supporting local communities and positively impact the lives of those served. We applaud all of the awardees and look forward to thanking all volunteers for their continued commitment of service to others.”
Local Honoree Bios
Cynthia Gagnier — Cynthia Gagnier is a lifelong North Country resident and Elizabethtown, New York native who believes firmly in exercise and nutrition as the recipe for aging well. Her volunteer journey started as a parent, assisting in her children’s classrooms and serving on every committee the school needed.
As a civilian employee on the Plattsburgh Air Force Base, Gagnier and her husband volunteered at social events for young military personnel far from home.
More recently, Gagnier has been volunteering with Clinton County AmeriCorps Seniors as a triple-certified instructor in peer-led group exercise programs for seven years in three evidence-based programs: Tai Chi for Beginners, Strong Bones (Tufts University/ Cornell Strong Women), and Range of Motion (Arthritis Foundation).
Gagnier calls her husband, Steve, a pillar who lifts her up every week in her service to others, helping to set up classes for exercise participants and maintaining the routine when Gagnier is caring for their grandsons, ages 6 and 8, during school vacations.
“Volunteering is the best job in the universe,” she says. “The fact that you can help others by volunteering is a gravy train. You smile and laugh when going to work because there’s nothing better than helping others.
Stephen and Edna Bowers — Stephen and Edna Bowers are staples in the community of Schroon Lake. Having met back in the late 1960s through family friends, they have dedicated their lives to enriching others, young and old alike.
After graduating from high school, the pair got married in 1969 and moved back to the peaceful mountaintops of Loch Muller where Stephen grew up. The couple have three children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren – with one on the way.
Edna started volunteering in her daughter’s kindergarten class at Schroon Lake Central School in 1982. Soon after, she was hired as a teacher’s aide. Working at the district for 16 years, she retired as the school secretary and later joined North Country Community College as a business office secretary for 15 years. She also spent 12 years as a leader for the local Girl Scout troop.
Stephen has been a logger since the early 1970s, eventually becoming owner/operator of Bowers Logging. He is semi-retired and enjoys capturing beautiful Adirondack landscape photos out of his “office window.”
The couple can be found participating in every local function and fundraiser. They are huge supporters of local students and are willing to drop everything to help others.
Stephen and Edna are members of the Minerva Sleeping Giants Senior Club, where Edna is the treasurer. They are also heavily involved in the care and restoration of the Union Meeting House of Loch Muller, which dates to 1843. Together, they started a Memory Tree fundraiser, where individuals can purchase ornaments to place on the church’s Christmas tree in honor of a loved one, helping to fund future projects.
“Volunteering is two-fold,” they say. “You help other people, and, in turn, it enriches your life at the same time. Volunteering is a very rewarding experience, and we encourage people to get involved in their community.”
Chad Niles — For the last two years, Chad Niles has been an active volunteer at the Brushton Moira Adult Center. Niles is quick to provide home-delivered meals when a driver is out sick, or when weather conditions are poor. He also brings members of the center to other special community programs in cases where older adults are unable to drive themselves, such as barn dances, holiday parties, and other events.
Niles is a lifelong resident of New York. He was raised in Moira, and currently resides in Brushton. He has dedicated his life to serving, protecting and helping his community. In 2017, he retired as a New York State Police sergeant, after 28 years of service. He also served in emergency management roles, as a school and community outreach coordinator, and as a canine unit supervisor for Troop B.
Following retirement, he was a safety manager/coordinator for Clarkson University’s facilities department for one year and a UPS driver for two-and-a-half years. Niles is currently town supervisor of Moira in Franklin County.
“Bring positivity and compassion,” he said. “A friendly smile, a sense of humor, and genuine kindness go a long way in making someone’s day better.”
Patricia Sullivan — Although this is her first year volunteering for the Community Friendship Volunteer Program, Patricia Sullivan has made an incredible impact on the lives of older adults.
In one instance, she assisted an older adult well above and beyond what a volunteer typically expects to do: shoveling the driveway, piling wood, grocery shopping and even removing a skunk from the home. She also encouraged this individual to rekindle her love of history and reading with trips to the library and the Almanzo Wilder Farm.
Another time, she helped a housebound older adult more easily access the mailbox by filling a ditch with a load of gravel she purchased. The older adult can now get to the mailbox using a walker. Sullivan also helps bake desserts for the Massena Meals on Wheels Program.
These selfless acts highlight the Community Friendship Volunteer Program motto of caring about the person, not just for the person.
Sullivan has lived in Brushton for 40 years. Prior to retirement, she was a fourth-grade teacher at St. Joseph’s Elementary in Malone for 22 years.
When she is not volunteering, Sullivan enjoys spending her time reading and gardening.
“Volunteering makes you feel good, and I’ve found those I help become true friends. Often, the people I work with have made me laugh right out loud – and that is the best medicine. There are many seniors who are lonely or who need a hand. Reach out to them,” she says.