Penn Yan residents Stacy and Chris Wyant were presented with Keuka College’s 2025 Donald and Corinne Stork Award for Community Service during a luncheon on Tuesday, August 12, in the College’s Geiser Dining Commons.
Established in 1991, the Stork Award recognizes individuals whose dedication to the common good reflects the values of Keuka College and the example set by its first recipients, Donald and Corinne Stork. Past honorees have included educators, public servants, and civic leaders who have left lasting impacts on the region.
“Chris and Stacy embody the spirit of this award through their decades of tireless commitment to Penn Yan and the people who call it home,” said Finger Lakes Economic Development Center CEO Steve Griffin, who, along with College President Amy Storey, presented the award.
President Storey highlighted the Wyants as role models for students. “You are the gold standard. You are what we try to teach our students to be when they go out into their own communities,” she said.
The Wyants have contributed to numerous causes, including leading food drives, supporting the Penn Yan Rotary Club’s foreign exchange program, providing scholarships for young women through the Philanthropic Education Organization, and being active members of Bluff Point United Methodist Church. They are also known locally for quiet acts of generosity, such as delivering meals and clearing snow for neighbors.
“Chris and Stacy remind us that community service doesn’t always come with a spotlight,” Griffin said. “More often, it comes with a shovel.”
In accepting the award, the Wyants thanked family, friends, fellow volunteers, and “most of all, God, for giving us the physical, financial, and spiritual gifts to be able to be included on such an amazing list of givers.” Stacy added, “We saw the example set by Corry and Don Stork and tried to follow it.”
The ceremony also included a proclamation from the New York State Legislature honoring the Wyants’ service and affirming that their generosity embodies the best of community spirit. Though neither grew up in Penn Yan, the couple expressed pride in calling the village home.
“We get to live here,” Stacy told an audience of nearly 100. “And we are so thankful for it.”
