Spirit of Gowanda winners

     The award winners' backgrounds begin with Cliffs, who came to love Gowanda and finally settle in the "Beautiful Valley Between the Hills."

     Cliff's mother and father were friends of Russ and Helen Benson, so they were in Gowanda visiting many times when he was a child.

     As a teenager, Cliff hunted on Vince Gangee's land on Skinner Hollow. He was raised on a general farm in West Seneca, where he would sell the vegetables from a road stand, so he became an entrepreneur at a young age. At the young age of 17, he served his country by enlisting in the military.

     In 1961, at the age of 24, he bought a restaurant and called it Schueler's German Restaurant. It was known for its German cuisine, and for 25 years he enjoyed serving the people. During that time, he still came to the Gowanda area to hunt and enjoy the friendly folks in the Village of Gowanda. He had the opportunity to buy 120 acres of land on Skinner Hollow, so now he was really part of the community. Also in this time frame, he met Paula, and knew when he met her that she would make a terrific business partner. Not only did she help him run his business, but they became very close, and the two of them were married in 1979. Between Cliff and Paula, they have four daughters and six grandchildren.

     Because of health reasons, Cliff needed to retire from the restaurant business in 1985. He decided that Gowanda should be his home town, and Cliff and his crew built a log home in 1985, while Paula stayed in Orchard Park to manage Schueler's Restaurant.

     Cliff wanted to do some farming, so for five years they lived off the land; hunting, fishing, raising chickens, turkeys, hogs, and rabbits. Paula baked breads and sweets too. Of course, Cliffs entrepreneurism came into play again, because they would sell whatever they didn't use.

     Finally in 1990, they both realized that this was WAY too much work, and that they missed being with people.

     So, Cliff came up with the idea of a small hot dog cart.

     In 1990, they launched their hot dog business, finding a great location in front of Barry Hager's flower shop. From April through October, you could find either Cliff or Paula working the stand Mondays through Saturday. They would always tell the customers that they would be there "weather permitting," and sometimes a storm would sneak up and they would get soaked.

     Most of the folks from Gowanda and the surrounding areas knew that this wasn't just a hot dog stand! It was a place to stop and ask directions - or to catch up on world news. Many times you could get into a "gab session" there. The Schuelers would watch children while their parents would run into Hager's, or when they would come home from school - the children would stop and tell them all about their day.

     There was also a prayer list going, and the people would add names to it all the time.

     Again, because of health problems, Cliff finally had to retire in August of 2003. Most people in Gowanda know them as the Hot Dog Man and the Hot Dog Woman. They have to keep in mind that they are also Santa and Mrs. Claus, and working the cart was just their summer job.

     Paula keeps busy being a councilwoman for the Town of Persia.

     They are both active members of Immanuel Lutheran Church. Cliff is an elder and Paula sings in the choir and is active in their children's ministry.

     So you won't see them selling hot dogs anymore, but because they live close by, you,ll probably see them doing volunteer work now and then.

     That "Spirit of Gowanda" is deep in their hearts.

     Dorothy and Louis (Lou) Selan, this year's Community Service award winners, born and raised in the Village of Gowanda have, together, devoted over 150 years of service to the community.

     Lou served his country in the Armed Forces after graduation from Gowanda High School, and then completed 35-plus years of employment with the State of New York. Dorothy, after graduation, began her local employment working for 10 years at a local insurance business (the former Rich, Young & Perrigo). Deciding to also join the state's forces, Dorothy began her 30-plus year career at the former Gowanda Psychiatric Center, where she worked for the executive director. (In this capacity, she is proud to have outserved five executive directors.) With the closing of the Center, her final two years were spent working for the director of Community Services.

     Working and living locally allowed Lou to participate in many community organizations and projects, including managing and playing for the Gowanda football, baseball and softball teams, coaching Little League Football (the Jets), serving on the Village's UDEG Committee (from its formation to the present time), and member of the American Legion, and the Gowanda VFW, where he also serves on the board of directors. Actively participating as treasurer of the Slovenian Club of Gowanda, Inc., for 50-plus years, he has had the responsibility of overseeing this club to financially assist many of the local organizations, projects and programs needing financial aid.

     Upon retirement from the Center, Dorothy too has been very involved in various organizations and community affairs. She is a member of the National Notary Association (involving traveling notary services as well as local), the National Association of Realtors, the Buffalo Niagara Realtors Association (working for Realty USA-Wolfer Division), the Gowanda VFW Auxiliary, Slovenian Club, board of directors for Gowanda's Historic Hollywood Theater, with active participation in the Harley Happening in Gowanda. She was also a past member of the Gowanda Free Library's board of directors. Finding herself becoming more involved, Dorothy accepted part-time employment with the Gowanda Area Chamber of Commerce, serving as office manager. Ironically, her desk is situated in the same spot of the same building as it was when she worked for the Rich, Young & Perrigo Insurance Agency, more than 50 years ago. This position also allows her to be much involved in many of the Chamber-sponsored community events.

     Participation and involvement with all of the above allow Dorothy and Lou to work as a "team," helping each other with whatever is going on at a given time. "Neither one of us could accomplish the above without each other! We are both very proud to be a part of this village!"

     Ranked seventh out of the GCS Class of 2004's 95 members, Ashley will graduate in June with a Regents Diploma (sequences in science, Spanish, mathematics and music).

     She is a part-time cashier at Gowanda Jubilee Foods and has been a participant in extracurricular activities, including four years of band, girl's track and four years of cross country.

     Ashley helped to renovate the New Hope Church in Rochester, teaches Vacation Bible School, participates on an annual basis in the Thirty-Hour Famine to help children and families in poverty-stricken countries and is a member of the Gowanda Free Methodist Bible Quizzers team.

     Ashley is the daughter of John and Lisa Certis.

     The Spirit of Gowanda Awards will be presented during the Saturday, Feb. 28 dinner at the Gowanda American Legion beginning at 6 p.m.

     Reservations may be made by calling the Gowanda Area Chamber at 532-2834.

     Tickets for the event are available at the Chamber office on Jamestown Street and at Hager's Flowers & Gifts on West Main Street.