Two Amherst families honored at SABAH awards banquet

The Hopkins family, top photo, recently named the 2008 Family of the Year by SABAH, are clockwise from left, father Glenn, daughter Jessica, mother Karen, and sons Joe and Nick. The McManus family, Margaret, left photo, Dennis and their son Sean, received special recognition for their 22 years of service to the organization.

The Hopkins and McManus families, both of Amherst, received recognition awards from SABAH, Skating Athletes Bold at Heart, at the annual awards banquet held at Ilio DiPaolo's in Blasdell on March 31.

The Hopkins family is the recipient of the 2008 Family of the Year Award, and the McManus family received a special recognition for their 22 years of service to the organization.

The Hopkinses have been skating with SABAH since 2002. Parents Glenn and Karen have made skating with SABAH a family event each Sunday at the Amherst Pepsi Center. Jessica, 9, a SABAH athlete with cerebral palsy, began skating with the help of her mother and her brothers, Nick and Joe.

Through the years, as her coordination improved, she no longer needed the assistance of her whole family. Her brothers have remained volunteers on Sundays and now skate with athletes David and Jeffrey Burger.

Karen still skates with Jessica, and she also serves on the SABAH Gala and Auction Committee. Karen has volunteered her time with the Celebration on Ice to ensure placement of event posters throughout the community. Glenn is also involved with SABAH by serving as a driver when needed.

The family of Dennis, Margaret and Sean McManus has been an integral part of SABAH since 1985. Father Dennis has been a skater parent since 1987, has served on the board of directors since 2005, has been a skating instructor since 1999 and is currently an instructor for SABAH's School-Day Adaptive Ice Skating Program on Thursday mornings at Riverside Park's Bud Bakewell Arena.

Son Sean has been skating with SABAH since he was 5 years old. He became an off-ice volunteer in 2003 at the Amherst Pepsi Center as well. Margaret, the mother, has been a skater parent since 1985, as well as an off-ice volunteer.

She is the first person SABAH families see on Sunday mornings at the Amherst Pepsi Center, and she greets everyone with a beaming smile. Margaret currently is the assistant rink captain. She also volunteers on Thursday mornings with SABAH's SDAIS along with her husband.

Margaret also donates her time to assist the Gala and Auction Committee and has been sewing costumes for SABAH's Celebration on Ice since 2002.

After a standing ovation following the presentation of these awards, executive director Sheila O'Brien said, "Both families embody what SABAH is all about. The unconditional dedication and passion they possess have become invaluable to the success of SABAH."