March of Dimes volunteers honored for dedication

M o re y

The New York State Chapter of the March of Dimes recently honored two area residents at its annual meeting and awards ceremony.

Colleen Morey of Williamsville was honored with the Volunteer of the Year award for New York State, a recognition given to one volunteer whose work and tenure of service in all areas have helped advance the mission of the March of Dimes to the highest degree.

In addition, Becky Farbo of Amherst was presented with the Volunteer of the Year award for the Western New York Division for her level of volunteer support and commitment to advancing the mission of the March of Dimes.

Dr. Jennifer Howse, president of the March of Dimes national foundation, presented both awards.

"We are grateful for the time and dedication each and every one of all of our volunteers throughout the Western New York community has given," said Jeff Bernacki, March of Dimes Western New York Division director. "Colleen and Becky are both outstanding volunteers, and their work has achieved measurable results that have helped the March of Dimes, particularly the Western New York Division, advance the organization to be more effective in its work of saving babies and increasing awareness about prematurity."

Farbo

For more than 25 years, Morey has donated her time to the March of Dimes and is the founder and chair of the Western New York Division's Gourmet Gala. To date, this one event has raised more than $4 million. In addition, she has taken on various leadership roles, including chapter chairperson from 1995-98 and serving with the national office of volunteers. Presently, Morey continues to serve on the Western New York Board as an at-large member.

Director of marketing for the law firm of Phillips Lytle LLP, Farbo joined the Western New York Division family in the fall of 2003 as a member of the Communications Committee. After playing integral roles in the creation of the March of Dimes Resource Book and the lighting of Niagara Falls for Prematurity Awareness Day 2004, she assumed the role of communications chair in 2005.

She also developed the "Stop Prematurity on a Dime" campaign, an effort that would later become the basis for the March of Dimes National Coin Collection Campaign. In May 2006, she became the New York State Chapter communications co-chair and has since worked on a variety of projects at the division and statewide levels.

Her twin daughters, Mackenzie and Ellery, who were born prematurely, are the driving forces behind her continued devotion and dedication to the mission of the March of Dimes, she said.

For more information, visit www. marchofdimes. com.