Five employee-volunteers of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp., together with the Mid-Hudson Valley organizations they support, were honored last month at Central Hudson’s 29^th annual Community Service Award event.

“These employees exemplify what Central Hudson is all about, because everything we do is about serving the people of the Mid-Hudson Valley,” said Central Hudson President and CEO Charlie A. Freni. “Employees from across Central Hudson volunteer beyond their normal course of work, helping to make this region a great place to work and live.”

“Central Hudson employees are dedicated to the communities they serve, volunteering their time, talent and resources to improve the quality of life for many in our region,” said Sharon McGinnis, Vice President of Human Resources and Safety at Central Hudson.  “Each year five individuals together with the agencies they serve are recognized as examples of how volunteers and organizations can work together to improve our communities.”

This year's award recipients are:

• Herb Jones as a member of the Circle for Hope K9 Rescue executive board where he is dedicated to helping strays find forever homes;
• Beth Allen for her involvement with Partnership for Animals Needing Transition (PANT), supporting their mission to reduce the feral and abandoned cat population in Dutchess County via trap, neuter and return;
• Zarin Schildhorn for providing mentorship to dancers and serving on the board as Secretary of the Catskill Ballet Theatre;
• Lauren Montgomery, who serves on the advisory board of the Ascension Holy Trinity Mission Center, which not only serves food to roughly 9,000 people a year, but also provides a welcoming sense of belonging and community to the people it serves; and
• Anthony LaRusso, a volunteer with Boy Scout Troop 101, who teaches children skills and instills values that will shape their future.

The organizations with whom the award recipients volunteer each received a $1,000 donation.

Central Hudson established its Com­munity Service Award Program in 1989 to recognize employees whose efforts have made a significant impact on their communities and have helped to improve the quality of life in the Mid-Hudson Val­ley. Since the program’s inception, 150 employees and the organizations they serve have been recognized.

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The recipients of Central Hudson’s 2019 Community Service Awards are, from left, Maintenance Worker Herb Jones, Payroll Supervisor Beth Allen, Associate Engineer Zarin Schildhorn, Customer Account Services Supervisor Lauren Montgomery and Lineman Anthony LaRusso.