News

March 25, 2025: 

United Way of the Southern Tier will celebrate local individuals and organizations at its annual awards dinner, presented by Kennedy Valve, on Thursday, May 1, at the Corning Museum of Glass.

Elmira City School District Superintendent Hillary J. Austin will be honored with the James B. Flaws Lasting Legacy Award. The award is presented for demonstrating the full embodiment of United Way’s call to action through Giving, Advocating and Volunteerism, and further recognizes a person who demonstrates vision, courage and commitment to leading community-level change.

United Way will also present its Give, Advocate, and Volunteer Awards at the dinner. The award winners are:

• GIVE: Tom & Lisa Capek
  • Tom and Lisa Capek have been generous supporters of United Way of the Southern Tier’s Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library since its inception in 2018. Their philanthropy has helped instill a love of literacy in children throughout the region and is preparing the next generation for success in school and beyond.   
     
• ADVOCATE: Georgia Landon  
  • Georgia Landon will be honored with the Advocate award for her tireless work following the devastating flash flood in the Canisteo Valley in August 2024. As an intake coordinator at Arbor Housing & Development, she championed the needs of more than 170 families, helping them find the financial help they needed to begin to recover from the disaster.  
     
• VOLUNTEER: Troy Preston & Corning Christ Episcopal Church
  • The Rev. Troy Preston and his congregation at Christ Episcopal Church in Corning will receive the Volunteer award for their support of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The Rev. Preston and his caring team have been instrumental in spreading the word about this free book program for all children under age 5 in Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben and Yates counties.

Tickets for the dinner are $80 each and available online, until April 18 or sold out. Seating is limited.

United Way is grateful to our 2025 dinner sponsors, including: Kennedy Valve, The Hilliard Corporation, Corning Incorporated Emerging Innovations Group, Corning Credit Union, Siemens Energy, Chemung Canal Trust Company, Socha Financial Group, IBEW Local 139, Gough Holding Corporation, Angela and Tymon Daniels, Hale Roofing Inc., First Heritage Federal Credit Union, John G. Ullman & Associates, and MMB + CO.

For more information, please contact United Way Director of Communications and Community Engagement Lois Wilson by email or at 607-377-5834.