Several Fingerlakes residents were among the 100 older adults across the state honored in Albany as part of the New York State Office for the Aging’s annual Older New Yorkers’ Day celebration.
As part of the celebrations, older adults are honored for their volunteer and civic contributions, which make their communities stronger, more vibrant, and welcoming. New York’s 59 county and municipal offices for the aging and their partners make nominations to be recognized at the state office’s annual event.
“Every year it’s an absolute privilege to recognize older New Yorkers who have made their communities a better place through their tireless dedication to serving others. Older adults make a positive impact on every community across our state through their knowledge, economic capital and civic engagement. NYSOFA is honored to highlight their contributions. I also applaud our 59 county offices for the aging and the Association on Aging in New York for providing and advancing vital services to older adults across the state every day,” said NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen.
Area residents honored at the celebration include:
Cayuga County
Frank Perkins: Since 1997, Perkins, a lifelong Sterling resident, has been a dedicated supporter of the Sterling Nature Center. He has also been a member of the Sterling Silver Seniors Club for 14 years, serving as president for 12. After being active in the Cayuga County Council for Senior Citizens for over a decade, Perkins was elected president in 2023. In 2021, Pekrins helped to bring the first COVID-19 vaccines to older adults in Red Creek. In 2024, he was appointed to the advisory committee for the Office for Aging.
Perkins recommends getting involved in one’s community. “If you see a need, just go and do it,” he says. “I have met a lot of nice people!”
Nelsa Selover: An Aurora and Cayuga County native, Selover helped develop the county’s first non-subsidized senior living community of its kind, Bluefield Manor; she continues to serve on its board. She has also been a board member of the StateWide Senior Action Council, the SCORE mentorship program, and the Boyle Senior Center. Since 2023, she has served as Vice President of the Cayuga County Council of Senior Citizens. She was the director of the Cayuga County Office for Aging from 1994-2005.
“Life is all about achieving purpose here on earth – what God wants me to be doing in helping other people,” she says. “There are always opportunities that God gives you to take care of people.”
Ontario County
Paul Lambiase: Living in Naples since 2010, Lambiase has worked on numerous causes, including the Naples Historical Society’s restoration of the Morgan Hose Building, Cleveland House, and Old Red Mill. He is also working with the town on its renewable energy project. Lambiase is the chair of the Naples Historic District Committee and serves on the Naples Library Board of Trustees.
“When living in a developing country for three years while in the U.S. Air Force, I developed a deep understanding of and appreciation for the needs of those less fortunate,” he says. “I have been blessed with good health, a good career, and supportive friends and family throughout most of my life. It has been and continues to be a privilege for me to use whatever skills and abilities I have gained to give back to my community
and to some of the organizations that help to make where we live a better place.”
Diane Olivet: Olivet is the moderator for the countywide four-part caregiver resource panel offered through the Ontario County Office for the Aging and Seniors and Lawmen Together. She is also a volunteer clerk for the Canandaigua Emergency Squad and serves on the board of Called to Care Canandaigua, the Ontario County Arts Council, and other community organizations.
Her advice to others: “Become involved in things you have a passion for!”
Seneca County
Doris Wolf: Originally from Massachusetts, Wolf moved to New York with her husband and daughter in 1976, working as a reporter for the Finger Lakes Times and Democrat and Chronicle from 1977-1998. She began volunteering in the 1950s as an advocate for the polio vaccine along with her sister, a paralytic polio victim, collecting funds for the March of Dimes. Additionally, co-founded Trevor’s Gift Backpack Program, which provides weekend meals to children, and is involved with Seneca County’s Red Kettle Campaign.
Encouraging others to volunteer, Wolf says, “To whom much is given, much shall be required, and I have been very blessed. I urge people to be ever mindful of the needs of others and look for opportunities to help.”
May is Older Americans Month. This year’s theme, Flip the Script on Aging, focused on challenging aging-related stereotypes and changing how society perceives and approaches aging.
A list of all honorees throughout the state can be found here.
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