Two From Saratoga County Get Volunteerism Awards At State Office For Aging Event

The state Office for the Aging recently honored 94 older adults for their volunteerism, including Marlene Hathaway and Cheryl Wood of Saratoga County, as part of its annual Older New Yorkers’ Day celebration.

“The word ‘volunteer’ cannot capture fully the accomplishments of this group of incredible individuals,” OFA Director Greg Olsen said in his remarks at the event. “Older adults impress us all with their commitment to a greater good and a greater cause. You tell the real story of what’s good about people, what’s good about New York. Through your deeds and actions, time and again, you show us how valuable you all are to those you touch, to those you serve, to the families and communities and lives you make better.”

During Hathaway’s more than three years of volunteer services, the Mechanicville resident has contributed as a meal delivery driver, delivering hot meals to homebound seniors, and currently as a transportation assistant, driving older adults to and from medical appointments throughout the county.

She is also a Telecare caller, supporting a program that began during the pandemic as a way to connect with older adults who may feel lonely and isolated. Hathaway continues to make these calls, which provide vital social connection while also serving as a wellness check.

She has a lengthy history of volunteering with other organizations. Hathaway graduated from Shenendehowa High School and then entered the U.S. Air National Guard, where she served for 20 years before retiring as a lieutenant colonel. “It is so rewarding to volunteer with seniors,” she said. “There is such a need to help and I absolutely love doing it.”

Her nomination for the honor said “Marlene is the perfect example of what a volunteer should be. She has put the needs of others before her own and has dedicated her time and energy to volunteering in many different ways. Marlene has proven that she is dedicated to volunteering and truly cares for those in her community.”

Wood, of Gansevoort, helps older adults through the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services; volunteering at her church to aid local food pantries, schools, and charities; and showing compassion to those who suffer from dementia by creating tools to give them comfort.

As a member of the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services Advisory Council, she helps coordinate and volunteer at senior events. She also volunteers elsewhere in the community.

A graduate of Stillwater High School and

Adirondack Community College, Wood worked as a registered nurse at Glens Falls Hospital for 43 years.

When asked her advice about volunteering and what she might say to other New Yorkers, Wood said, “Find something that suits your fancy. It’s out there and it’s worth it.”

As a group, older New Yorkers age 55 and over contribute more than 495 million hours of volunteer service each year at an economic value of $13.8 billion. The 94 volunteers recognized during OFA’s 2022 Older New Yorkers’ Day program live in 55 counties. Collectively, they represent 5,500 years of life experience and have volunteered for a combined 2,568 years of service.

Park Manor Continued From Page 1

regular basis. So the hotel targets business people, vacationers and out-of-town athletic guests.

“Tourism is the bulk of any hotel’s clientele, but we’re looking to do more on the business side of things by accommodating companies whose employees travel in and out of the area, in addition to hosting meetings, sales conferences, dinner parties and medical conferences,” said Angie Meyer, Park Manor’s general manager. “We want to develop that kind of business throughout the year.”

The hotel’s banquet space has capacity for 380 people.

“We’re working on marketing tactics that we hope put us in a better position coming into the busy spring and summer season,” she said. “I have an extensive sales background. A lot of area companies may not have had any business here before. We do rely on third-party booking platforms like Expedia and Priceline, also.”

Meyer previously worked at the hotel for its former owners. She left shortly before it closed and went on to manage a Clifton Park restaurant. Upon learning the hotel had been purchased, she connected with new owners who valued her experience and hired her to be its on-site manager.

She said she’s amazed at the transformation because she saw what it looked like before being brought back to life.

“It sat empty for so long and it really wasn’t conditioned for the weather,” Meyer said. “They didn’t drain the pipes. They didn’t winterize the building. There was no heat, so there was a lot of water damage. Toilets had to be replaced and jetted tubs re-wired. The pool couldn’t be used. It had to be gutted out and retiled.”

The kitchen area also needed a major overhaul. Now, standard king rooms are currently priced at $119, while an efficiency double queen executive suite, big enough for four adults and two children, goes for $199. Parking and cold breakfasts are complimentary. There’s also a fitness center, indoor pool and seasonal barbecue area.

“During peak season, rates will fall in line with all the surrounding hotels,” Meyer said. “But because we are independently owned we can adjust our rates to be a little more discounted.”

The hotel’s restaurant hasn’t reopened yet, but plans call for getting it up and running in the near future.

Park Manor Hotel currently employs 10 people, a number that could double or triple during the busy summer months. But like many employers, the hotel is having a hard time finding enough help.

“I can’t understand how COVID has changed that as immensely as it has,” Meyer said. “I feel like we’ve overcome the hurdles of COVID. Things should be coming back to normal. In a lot of areas they are, but with staffing it’s still a problem.”

The hotel website is parkmanorcp.com.