2008 Jefferson Award Medalists

Harriet K. Comfort
Cohoes

This individual is nominated for the 2008 Jefferson Award because of her tireless support to families of individuals with mental illness, her consistent advocacy for better services, treatment and funds for serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI) and her abilities to decrease the stigma of mental illness in the Capital District.

Mrs. Comfort has worked within the Capital District Psychiatric Center (CDPC) and as a volunteer on her own and through The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for nearly 30 years.  She is widely known as the individual to go to when a family is having difficulty accessing the system for their relative.  She has facilitated support groups and is always available to speak on the issues of mental illness, even at 11:00 p.m. to join a family at the hospital or crisis center.

The Albany County Forensic Task Force, established in the late ‘90’s, is a group of mental health, criminal justice and other related agency personnel who are concerned with those with mental illness when they come in contact with the criminal justice system.  She started this ad hoc committee and acts as chairperson to this entity.  The Task Force studies related issues and holds an annual conference.

She organized the AMI High Tea, a social function with much community support for seven years in the 1990’s.  This event brought attention to the issues of mental illness and the stigma that is unnecessarily attached to it.  She helped develop the CDPC Mental Health Players which she has run for 26 years.  This group delivers dramatic skits to agencies and other entities wishing more information on mental illness issues and concerns.  She and her husband created AMI Action, an advocacy group that has actively demonstrated when an injustice has been delivered in the mental health service delivery system or the community.

Margaret Bolster
Eagle Bridge

This Individual is Nominated for a 2008 Jefferson Award becauseÖ - Margaret Bolster is nominated for the 2008 Jefferson Awards because she has worked relentlessly to overcome physical and communication limitations in order to help others by delivering Meals on Wheels. Margaret is a 40-year-old woman who has Cerebral Palsy and attends the Center for Disability Services Vocational Training and Services Program in Albany. She uses a power wheelchair and an electronic speech device. Yet, she independently delivers meals to Meals on Wheels recipients at South Mall Towers. She has volunteered for over 10 years once a week in all kinds of weather. Margaret comes from a farm and was not very familiar with high-rise buildings and elevators. After overcoming a fear of being in elevators alone Margaret now uses elevators to go to floors by herself to deliver food before meeting up with Center Staff. It's always been very important to Margaret to help others the way they've always helped her. She even wrote an article for the Center's CapAbility Magazine about her experience. Her communication device has been programmed to help her communicate with people and announce herself outside their doors after she knocks. Residents of the building often comment about how impressed they are with her independence. Margaret is very dedicated, yet has fun and enjoys this opportunity. This is a very special woman who works hard at everything she does, whether that is working out at the Albany JCC, pursuing her job of stuffing envelopes and other clerical tasks at the Center or helping others by providing them with food from Meals on Wheels.

She is deserving of such an honor as the Jefferson Award and would be a wonderful representative for the "profession" of volunteering as well as representing folks with disabilities who have overcome barriers to become productive and help others.

Clifford C. Darfler, Jr.
Porter Corners

This Individual is Nominated for a 2008 Jefferson Award becauseÖ - This individual is nominated for the 2008 Jefferson Awards because of his commitment to helping and volunteering to helping our Veterans. Cliff has volunteered at the Albany VA hospital for the past 27 plus years. He has given over 8,050 hrs of time in the following ways: Va patient Transportation, Recreation, Phyarmacy, day treatment center and the Saratoga National Cemetery. His work at the National Cemetery is one of the reasons that the Saratoga National Cemetery has a Honor Guard to preform Military Honors to all our fallen Veterans. Cliff felt that no veterans should go without a proper burial. With the assistance of a local funeral Director they organized a group of Veterans to preform this needed service. Cliff servred for 2 years a the founding Commander of the Saratoga National Honor Guard. He continues to serve by performing Military Honors once a week.

Cliff also acts a resource for area Veterans about services that they are entilted to and how to attain them. He will often take the time to help a fellow Vet who needs to get to the VA Hospital and has driven them there.

Christopher Aucoin 
Wynantskill

This Individual is Nominated for a 2008 Jefferson Award becauseÖ - This individual is nominated for a 2008 Jefferson Award because he is a student who goes above and beyond to help those who are less fortunate. During the time I have known Chris, he has exhibited honesty, a caring attitude, a sense of responsibility to his community, and very high moral standards. Chris has spent countless hours volunteering for various organizations around the East Greenbush community. Most notably, within his parish he has taken on an important leadership role as Director of their holiday food drive. Over the past four years, he has motivated his parish ñ children, teens and adults - to provide funds and food to feed more than 360 families supported by Josephís House in Troy at Thanksgiving. These are complete turkey dinners with all the trimmings including appetizers and dessert. Many students Christopherís age are volunteering for programs like this; however, few are actually organizing and coordinating such a large undertaking. The impact of Christopherís work is experienced by not only those who are recipients of the dinners, but also by those who volunteer to help support his cause. His kindness and compassion for others as well as his willingness to "step up to the plate" make him a valuable contributing member of his community.

When Christopher interviewed at a variety of colleges this past summer, many of them asked if he would be willing to lead a similar project in their communities when he arrives to attend school. Truly Christopherís work has impacted the community locally, but it will also follow wherever he goes and continues his fine work.

We are proud to nominate an outstanding neighbor in the Town of Bethlehem community for the 2008 Jefferson Award. Rod Raynor has been a member of the Bethlehem Volunteer Ambulance Service for 32 years. For the last 12 years, Rod has served as the volunteer Captain of the ambulance squad, which is the provider of emergency ambulance service for the residents of Glenmont, Selkirk, and South Bethlehem. As the Captain, Rod is responsible for making sure the ambulances are equipped and ready and that the volunteers are ready to respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Rod's leadership and commitment has enabled the Bethlehem Volunteer Ambulance Service to meet the needs of a growing community; providing comfort, care, and transportation to the ill and injured. The volunteers now respond to more than 1,200 calls for medical assistance each year. For more than a decade, Rod has accepted the responsibility for being the chief volunteer who coordinates these responses and provides leadership, training, and counsel to the volunteers. In addition, Rod personally responds to hundreds of ambulance calls per year. In his twelve years as Captain, Rod has responded to thousands of calls.

To Rod, Bethlehem Volunteer Ambulance is more than volunteer work. It is a lifelong commitment to taking care of his neighbors. Every day Rod is ready and willing to respond when someone is in need. It doesn't matter if the snow is a foot deep or Sunday supper is on the table. And, responding often means facing personal risks and confronting sadness and tragedy.

Rod has been an inspiration to many in the EMS community. That inspiration can be seen close to home. Rod's daughter-in-law, Wenda, is a long time member of the ambulance squad, has served as President, and currently holds the office of Vice President.