Unity House of Cayuga County has announced the recipients of its 2024 awards.
Elaine Meyers of Aurora and Joe Goodsell of Auburn have been awarded the Open Arms and Fred Atkins Community Service Awards, respectively.
The pair will be honored at Unity House’s annual award dinner on April 29.
From Unity House:
13th OPEN ARMS AWARDEE:
Elaine Meyers of Aurora
Elaine was nominated by Unity House’s PROsperity mental health program director Taylor Casamassima in recognition of her time spent volunteering in the program. A lifelong lover of books and libraries, Elaine teaches a creative writing and journaling class and facilitates a book club at PROs. She is a published author, and has served on several local boards and committees, including the Anne Frank Tree Project at Southern Cayuga Schools, the Aurora Free Library, ABC Play Space, the King Ferry food pantry, and the Aurora Book Lovers’ Ball. She is being honored for the kindness, sensitivity and compassion she shows to PROs participants and staff.
14th FRED ATKINS COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDEE:
Joe Goodsell of Auburn
A native central New Yorker, Joe was nominated by Matthew House for his outstanding volunteer service there since 2013. Joe earned a nursing degree at Cayuga Community College, but spent his career at New Process Gear as a UAW machinist until he retired upon their closing in 2011. His father-in-law received excellent end of life care at Matthew House. Joe and his wife Penny were so moved by that care, Joe volunteered his nursing skills and has been there ever since. Joe is valued for his positivity, kindness and willingness to help in any way. He also serves at St. Mary’s Church, helping out with their pasta dinners. Joe delivers food for Meals on Wheels, volunteered at the Cayuga County nursing home, was a member of the Aurelius Fire Department for 24 years, and now teaches swimming at the Auburn YMCA.
