Two honored with NY Cares award

New York Cares recently honored Woodside resident, Beth Lehmann and Long Island City resident David Halloran along with other volunteers with leadership awards for their service to the organization.
Since first getting involved with New York Cares in 2000, Lehmann has completed 960 hours of volunteer work. After finding the organization through an Internet search, Lehmann started working at Rivington House - an AIDS hospice in Manhattan - where she eventually became the team leader of the project.
“It’s a warm feeling going in because you know you’re doing something that’s helping somebody else,” Lehmann said.
Lehmann now takes part in projects where she reads children’s stories at a transitional housing center and takes children from low-income housing in Queens on “urban adventures.” She said that she was “very happy and overjoyed” to have been selected for a leadership award, particularly since recipients are nominated by their peers.
Meanwhile, Halloran started volunteering with New York Cares in 2000 because he wanted to give back. He said that his life has been very blessed and that he wanted to share those blessings with others.
In the beginning, Halloran worked on projects at animal shelters and ones that helped the homeless and senior citizens. Along with conducting volunteer orientations, he now works with new immigrants on their English conversation skills. He said that such skills are important to giving people the opportunity to improve their life.
“I was really surprised,” Halloran said of being honored. “I do the work that I do with New York Cares…because I enjoy it. I was certainly not expecting any sort of recognition or award for it.”
New York Cares Associate Executive Director Gary Bagley said that this is the fourth year they have given out the leadership awards. He said that the organization already asks a great deal of its team leaders and that they have many who go “above and beyond the call of duty.”
“Beth is a beautiful example of somebody who goes above and beyond the call of duty and adds those extra special touches to projects. She has a beautiful attention to detail and just a tremendous, warm presence,” Bagley said. “[David’s] a tremendous help in leading orientations. He’s really wonderful at engaging and inspiring people to get started volunteering.”
Bagley added that they are very proud of the longevity of their volunteers. He said that they make the experience better for other volunteers while also going the extra mile to assist the city and its residents who need help.