Plenty of people worthy of positive press
DAN MEYER Political Columnist
It's happened again. Faithful readers of this column may recall that last year I listened to the masses and responded to some requests by you to showcase some of the folks who make us proud to be from Western New York.

Within the past two weeks, I've been contacted via either e-mail or phone by four people asking me to step away from the presidential race and our dysfunctional state government and write a bit about topics that can best be categorized as "good news."

Duly noted.

Without further ado, here are three local folks most worthy of some positive press:

• Don King: A member of the Niagara Falls City Schools Board of Education since 1978, King was honored last year as the winner of the New York State School Boards Association's top award for distinguished service.

King received the Everett R. Dyer Award for being someone who goes "consistently above and beyond when serving students and their community" through the "leadership, responsibility and dedication it takes to run a school district."

Described as a "role model for all educators," King has served as a board member for three decades, including stints as president and vice president. He has also worked as the chairman of the board's curriculum, public information and finance committees.

In addition to his School Board service, King is very active in the Niagara Falls community. He has served as chairman of the Niagara Falls Public Library and the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Board of Trustees. He is also prominently involved in local athletics, the arts, and numerous civic groups and local charities.

King was selected for this prestigious annual honor from among thousands of candidates throughout the state because of his unselfish approach to his duties as an elected official.

• Stacie Pickel: As a family support counselor for Upstate New York Transplant Services, Pickel provides compassion and support to those who need it most when speaking of a support group for parents of people who donated their organs, helping to spread "the gift of life."

Pickel, a Hamburg resident, lost her 17-year-old son eight years ago when he was accidently struck by a car driven by a friend. After the tragic accident, Pickel found a new calling as part of the parent support group. The donation of her son's organs helped result in four people still being alive today because of her decision to attempt to help others live on despite losing one of her own children at such a young age.

Pickel actually celebrated her 50th birthday by meeting with the recipients of her son's organs. That special connection she now shares with these people allows Pickel to still have a special connection to her son.

Pickel's message to those she speaks to in the community is simple: If you haven't done so already, consider doing the necessary paperwork to be listed as a potential organ and tissue donor should you be involved in a fatal accident of some sort. Only an estimated 8 percent of the nearly 645,000 registered motorists in Erie County are listed as potential donors. Enrolling in the statewide database that is readily accessible by all hospitals and procurement organizations is something we all should consider doing.

• Christine Pyne: An optimist who believes in the synergy being generated throughout the City of Buffalo, Pyne owns UrbanValet, a dry cleaning outfit based on Elmwood Avenue. A Buffalo resident who believes great things lie ahead for The Queen City, she serves as president of the Elmwood Village Association, a not-for-profit partnership of local business owners and residents founded in 1994 that has been promoting all the good things happening in that neighborhood, particularly in the retail shopping corridor.

Pyne participated in the first session of Mayor Byron Brown's Citizens' Participation Academy, an eight-session course that provided insight to the inner workings of how the city operates and conducts business on a daily basis.

Pyne is the type of forward-thinking, energetic and truly creative small business owner that we need playing an integral role to help Buffalo grow and prosper.

(Daniel Meyer is a columnist for the Weekly Independent Newspapers of Western New York. Opinions are those of the author.)