For more than 30 years, Steve and Sue Heller have been a familiar presence wherever volunteers are needed in the Penn Yan community.
Whether helping organize Krossin’ Keuka, supporting the Keuka Comfort Care Home, assisting with the Downtown Business Council’s Fall Festival, or volunteering during COVID-19 vaccination clinics, the couple has built a reputation for rolling up their sleeves and serving others.
In recognition of their decades of volunteerism, Keuka College has named Steve and Sue Heller the recipients of the 2026 Donald and Corinne Stork Award for Community Service.
The award will be presented during a public luncheon on Tuesday, Aug. 11, at noon on the Keuka College campus.
“Steve and Sue exemplify the spirit of service that the Stork Award was created to celebrate,” said Billy Jo Jayne ’10, Keuka College’s associate vice president for advancement. “They’ve spent years investing their time, talents, and energy into organizations and initiatives that make our communities stronger.”
The Hellers have supported numerous organizations and causes over the years, including the Yates County Arts Council, the Keuka Lake Association, the Keuka College Community Associates Board, Krossin’ Keuka, and the Life Is a Journey 10K.
“What makes Steve and Sue so deserving of this recognition is not simply what they have done, but how they have done it – together,” said Keuka College President Amy Storey. “Strong communities are built on relationships, trust, and a shared commitment to the greater good. Couples like Steve and Sue demonstrate the profound impact that can occur when two people devote themselves to making life better for those around them. Their example reminds us that community is not just a place; it’s a network of caring individuals who choose, day after day, to support one another.”
The Hellers are the fourth married couple in a row to receive the Stork Award. They say sharing a commitment to community service has strengthened both their community and their marriage.
“When you have a shared sense of purpose, it impacts your relationship,” Sue Heller said.
“Even when we’re not serving on the same committee, we’re sharing the experience and the progress together,” Steve Heller added.
Among the causes closest to their hearts is the Keuka Comfort Care Home, where Sue served as volunteer coordinator and worked closely with residents and families.
“We were involved in the start-up, and that’s had a big impact,” she said.
The couple has also been involved with Krossin’ Keuka since its inception, helping build it into one of the Finger Lakes’ premier community fundraising events.
“What stands out most is the genuine care they show,” said Anne Killen, who co-chairs Krossin’ Keuka with Steve while Sue serves as the event’s secretary. “They are deeply invested in the well-being of our community, the lake, and the friends and neighbors around them. I am honored to call Steve and Sue my friends.”
Steve Heller also has longstanding ties to Keuka College, having served as an adjunct instructor while providing pro bono consulting and strategic planning assistance to local organizations. Sue spent nearly 20 years as an EMT with the Penn Yan Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Both are longtime members of Penn Yan United Methodist Church.
Penn Yan natives and self-described “hometown sweethearts,” the Hellers have been married for more than 50 years. After spending about 15 years in the Buffalo area during and after college, they returned to Penn Yan in 1989 to be closer to family and launch Keuka Appraisal Services with relative Brian Hawley.
“We came back because of family, but also because of the beauty of this area and the sense of community,” Steve Heller said. “There’s a social unity here that makes people want to get involved and make a difference.”
Established in 1991, the Donald and Corinne Stork Award for Community Service honors area residents whose volunteerism, leadership, and civic engagement reflect Keuka College’s commitment to public service. The award is named for its first recipients, the late Donald and Corinne Stork.
Additional information about the Stork Award luncheon, including registration details, is available at keuka.edu/storkaward.
