The Healthy Community Alliance held its annual Awards Luncheon Friday, Jan. 14 at The Legacy Restaurant in Springville to recognize individuals and organizations in the Alliance service area whose activities contribute to building quality of life.

     The Healthy Community Alliance, located at 26 Jamestown St., Gowanda, was established in 1996 with the intent "to improve quality of life in rural communities through broad-based, inclusive partnerships that support wellness and prevention." The Alliance’s service area includes portions of Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Wyoming counties linked by Route 39. Each year the Alliance honors those who support and help facilitate their mission.

     Board President Martha J. Kemsley, Ph.D., RN, welcomed the 50-plus guests to this year’s event. Director Sharon J. Mathe presented ‘Change is Constant," an overview of Healthy Community Alliance projects and accomplishments over the past year. These include: A Community Wellness forum, numerous other community-based health and wellness events, arthritis self-help and aquatics programs, Fit & Funã programs, mental health/youth suicide awareness informational materials distribution, presentations and public service announcements, personal wellness profile surveys, Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus enrollment assistance and transportation service with Love, InC.

     Dr. Kemsley, Board Vice President Jeffrey Bowen, Ed.D., and others then presented Community Service Awards in the areas of business, faith, health and human services, and philanthropy.

     This year’s honorees were: Business - Doug Andrews, Concord Mechanical, Springville; Faith - The Rev. Katherine Evans, First Presbyterian Church, Springville; Health & Human Services - Kate O’Striker and Jamie Snyder, Cattaraugus/Allegany Cornell Cooperative Extension; and Philanthropy - Samuel J. Savarino, Savarino Construction, Inc.

     Developer Savarino is working with representatives from the Alliance and the Academy Place Advisory Council on transforming Gowanda’s vacant Center Street School into a multi-use community resource center. In December, a meeting took place with the Gowanda School Board to request an extension on the Option to Purchase agreement. The extension provides additional time to adjust the building plans and apply for funding.

     "All of this year’s recipients have worked with the Alliance directly or indirectly to improve quality of life in rural communities," stated Kemsley.

     The Healthy Community Alliance, a rural health network serving over 100,000 residents, 57 zip codes and 16 school districts, can be reached at 532-1010 or at www.communityalliance.org .