Honor Roll / Recognizing the accomplishments of Western New Yorkers
• Kevin M. Conroy, a 2004 graduate of Pioneer Central High School who attends Boston College, has been awarded a J. William Fulbright grant to study the dialects of Connemara in the Gaelic-speaking western region of Ireland.
Conroy is working toward a master’s degree in linguistics and plans to pursue doctoral studies in Celtic languages and teach at the university level.
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• The Diocese of Buffalo honored Elaine Driscoll earlier this month with its annual Catechetical Leadership Award. Driscoll currently serves as director of faith formation at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Lancaster. She was presented the award by Bishop Edward Kmiec during a reception in Hearthstone Manor. The award honors individuals who serve in religious education for their dedication and leadership. She was nominated by her pastor, the Rev. Paul Steller. Driscoll has served in faith formation for more than 15 years. She implemented the Generations of Faith program, now in its fifth year, and has served on the Diocesan Liturgy Committee. She holds a master’s degree in pastoral ministry and is a graduate of the Catholic Biblical School.
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•Attorney Donna L. Burden, a founding member with the law firm of Burden, Gulisano & Hickey, was named president of the board of directors of Heritage Centers, a not-for-profit organization that provides vocational training, education programs, residential services, legal services and recreation programs for people with developmental disabilities. Burden is a trial attorney at her firm, where she focuses her practice on defending catastrophic transportation accidents.
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• To support area high school seniors pursuing higher education in the food service and hospitality industries, the Taste of Buffalo has announced this year’s six Western New York scholarship winners, who will each receive $1,000:
Briana Fries, Williamsville South, who will attend Niagara University for tourism destination management; Anthony Glieco, Williamsville South, who will attend Johnson and Wales University for culinary arts; Rachel Goodman, Lewiston-Porter, who will attend Niagara County Community College for bakery and pastry arts; Andrew Montesano, West Seneca West, Johnson and Wales University for culinary and nutrition studies; Ashley Platek, Iroquois, who will go to Kent State University for food and nutrition studies; and Amanda Zielonka, Alexander Central, who plans to study culinary arts and food service management at Johnson and Wales University.
“As an event that involves such a large part of the Western New York community, we enjoy giving back to those who support us, and a scholarship fund is a great way to do just that,” said Thomas Muscarella, 2009 Taste of Buffalo chairman.
The scholarship fund, which began in 1997, has awarded more than $30,000 over the past 10 years to help residents of Erie and Niagara counties who will attend two-or four-year schools.
The Taste of Buffalo, presented by Tops, celebrates its “fun by the forkful” July 11 and 12 along Delaware Avenue in downtown Buffalo. The Taste is the nation’s second-largest food festival, attracting almost 450,000 people annually to the event.
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• Niagara Lutheran Health Foundation Trustee Gerald C. Saxe will be presented a 2009 Trustee of the Year Award from the New York Association of Homes & Services for the Aging at a luncheon in his honor at noon July 22. The association is an organization of not-for-profit facilities throughout the state that provide housing and services for the elderly. Members include nursing homes, senior housing, adult care facilities, continuing-care retirement communities, assisted living and community service providers The award is given to a trustee of a member organization of the association. Jurgen Arndt, president/CEO of the Niagara Lutheran Health System, said Saxe “has been a friend of Niagara Lutheran for many years and a trustee since 1990. Not only has he supported the organization financially, he provides crucial leadership by personally chairing campaigns, assisting with obtaining grants, and identifying and recruiting other trustees for our foundation.”
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