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Southern Ulster Times, Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Highland Rotary honors community members
Continued from page 1
and raised in Highland, is the Project
Manager for the Bob Shepard Highland
Landing Park, served in the Army from
1968-70, is a proud Dad and Grandfather
and so much more we just can’t tell.
There’s nobody who doesn’t know Lenny
Auchmoody’s face, he is everywhere.”
Auchmoody choked up a bit, saying,
“What I have done for the community is a
labor of love. It goes back to the 70s when
I did come home.” He noted the help he
received from Ray and Claire Costantino
for all of the projects they did together,
starting in the 1970s.
Auchmoody said he carries on with
the riverfront park project and thanked
those who started the project, especially
Matt Smith and Hank Behr.
Laubach noted the achievements
of Alan Barone; a 44 year member and
President and Manager of the Highland
Little League, 12 years a member of the
Lloyd Recreation Committee, 10 year
coach of CYO basketball and 12 years a
coach of Highland Youth Soccer. Barone
has been a member of the Highland Hose
Company since 1980 and is now serving
as a Commissioner and has served on the
Highland Board of Education since 2002.
“This guy has given to our community
and it never stops and we are very proud
to honor Alan Barone,” Laubach said.
Barone said, “There is no way to
describe what they [Rotary] do for the
Highland Central School district, for the
children and for the community,” he said.
“For such a small group, 39 members, and
for what they do for our community is
outstanding.”
Laubach said Lucia DeNatale has been
a resident of Highland for 12 years, an
employee of the Marlboro School district
and is the founder and President of ‘Take
Me Home Pet Rescue’. She has rescued
more than 2,000 dogs from high kill
shelters in the South and placed them
with families in the tri-state area.
“She is a saint,” Laubach said.
DeNatale said she did not know much
about Rotary, “but I see that you do great
work so maybe I’ll join. I do run the
Rescue but I could not do it without my
fosters and volunteers. So thank you all
so much.”
Tony Marmo also handed DeNatale
a check for $500 from the Rotary, “in
recognition of all the great work that
Take Me Home does in the community.”
Laubach brought up Highland High
School senior Dean Riley, who is this year’s
Salutatorian for the Class of 2018. He is
Tony Marmo honored Lucia DeNatale for her Take Me Home Rescue of dogs
also graduating with an Associates Degree
from SUNY Ulster, is the President of the
school’s Interact Club, a recipient of the
Triple C award (commitment, character,
courage) from the NYS Attorney General,
a member of the National and French
Honor Societies, attended the Hugh
O’Brian and Mercy College Leadership
Conferences, is a member of the Model
UN Club, the PTA, Student Council and
the student representative on the Board
of Education. “In his spare time he is
a manger at Minard’s Family Farm,”
Laubach added. “I don’t know where this
kid finds the time. I don’t think he’s slept
a day in his life but he is special and has
brought our Interact Club to a whole new
level.”
Riley first thanked his parents and
his siblings for all of their support and
encouragement. He reserved a special
thanks for Annmarie Meisel and Kate
Jonietz, “for being my service role models
and for teaching me about what service
above self truly means. I can only hope
to give back to my community as much
as they have to Highland.” He thanked
the Rotary Club, “for making me a part
of your family these past years. Service
is not something you are required to do,
it is something you want to do. I leave you
with a quote from Maya Angelou, “Try to
be the rainbow in someone’s cloud.”
Laubach noted that Police Chief Daniel
Waage has been an officer in Highland for
more than 20 years and Chief since 2012.
“This guy has taken our Police
Department and turned into such a
community asset,” he said. “I don’t think
I’ve ever seen a community where they’ve
reached out to the community like they
do here.”
Laubach said Waage established an 8
week civilian Police Academy, “that lifts
the covers of what goes on behind the
scenes of the Police Department. It is
fantastic and it really gives you an idea of
what these guys go through every day.”
Waage started a women’s defense class
and a civilian class on what to do in an
active shooting situation. He also initiated
a youth recreation league along with the
Rotary.
“If you live in Highland and you need
help all you have to do is knock on his
door. Its never locked,” Laubach said.
Waage said, “bringing the community
together and building a team is really
what’s important.” He said his interest in
reaching out more to the community was
sparked by a women who came to him one
December and said she had nothing to
give her child for Christmas. Waage and a
few officers went out and purchased toys
High School student Dean Riley was hon-
ored for helping his school and the Highland
community.
with their own money and brought them
back to this mom for her daughter.
“We went to her door and she drops
to her knees crying, saying I didn’t think
anybody would help me,” Waage recalled.
He saw only a few small items in the
home that showed a little girl lived there.
“It kind of got to me and grabbed my
heart.” He said from that moment on he
has worked especially hard to help those
in need and to enlarge the programs and
service to the community. “We can make
a difference even if it is in one person’s
life.”
Laubach concluded by honoring the
entire Lloyd Police Department.
“They are the guys that protect us,
who go out into our community and
make a difference. These are people we
should be proud of and they do their job
professionally and every one of them
cares what happens to us,” he said.
The Rotary also honored their Board
of Directors: President Sharon Murphy-
Cohen, President Elect Betty Potenza,
Vice President Adam Kane, Secretary
Kate Jonietz, Treasurer Shonda Merrill,
Past President Tony Marmo and Member
at Large Phil Roloson.