In spite of the snowy weather, 200 of Pawling’s stalwart community members came to the Pawling Firehouse March 1st to support Pawling Public Radio’s 4th annual Voices of Pawling Awards.
This year’s honorees, Cindy Campbell, Verna Carey, Terry Deegan, Rev. Jon Elllingworth, Lonna Kelly, Peter Muroski, Roger Smith, and PPR’s special honoree, Gene Garnes, chosen for their outstanding service to the Pawling Community and beyond, were feted with a brunch and award ceremony in which their service was commemorated and celebrated.
As part of the celebration, PPR’s Chair Mike Shustak, brought all in attendance up to date on the progress being made toward the station’s FCC licensing and plans for the broadcast tower build, which has been generously funded by the Oliver S. and Jennie R. Donaldson Charitable Trust. Amy Emke, the PPR Education Committee chair, spoke at length about the committee’s educational mission and the many ways in which Pawling Public Radio provides extracurricular educational opportunity to students in Pawling’s public and private schools. Celeste Bevilacqua, committee chair for the VOP event, served as Master of Ceremonies. Members of the Voices of Pawling event committee included: Mike Shustak, Susan Stone, Bill Bonecutter, Amy Emke, Stephanie Rogers, Ann Godesky and Carol Lee Kantor. Also in attendance were several WPWL on air program contributors and volunteers.
Funding for two college scholarships offered by Pawling Public Radio to graduating area high school seniors was raised by raffling a mountain bike, which was generously donated to PPR by Stancy Duhamel, of Dover.
Photo’s Courtesy of Michael Cardin Photography
