By Ashley M. Casey

Staff Writer

North Syracuse reigns supreme three years in a row in the Today’s Options Competition. Ric Wahl of North Area Meals on Wheels was announced as the winner of a $10,000 prize Aug. 29 at the Great New York State Fair. NAMOW’s Board President Bob Graves took home the prize in 2015, and Ralph Rotella of North Syracuse won the competition last year for the Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse.

The annual competition is sponsored by Today’s Options, a local Medicare Advantage health plan. Community members vote for the individual who they feel does the most to improve the lives of seniors in Central New York.

“The fact that we won in 2015 and 2017 is a true testament to how amazing and loyal our volunteers are — not just the wonderful volunteers who won the award, but also the hundreds of volunteers that voted every day,” NAMOW Program Director Jennifer Covert said.

Wahl said he was “overjoyed” to learn he had won the competition.

“NAMOW and our clients are the big winners for both our wins,” Wahl said of the 2017 and 2015 victories.

Wahl said the money will go toward subsidizing meals for NAMOW applicants who have been placed on a waiting list due to lack of funding from Onondaga County.

While Today’s Options awards $10,000 to the highest vote-getter’s charity of choice, the remaining four finalists receive $1,000 for the organizations they represent.

This year’s runners up and the charities they represent are:

• Jenny Ackley, Syracuse: Vera House

• Sandy Bufis and Suzanne Loveland, Fayetteville: InterFaith Works of CNY

• Wendy Davenport, Clay: Oasis

• Richard Synek, New York Mills: Feed Our Vets

“It’s too bad all the champions could not have become grand champions,” Wahl said of his competitors. “All the organizations represented are doing great things for the seniors and the communities we serve.”