By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
This fall, the Town of Nelson and the Erieville-Nelson Heritage Society (ENHS) presented the 2020 Norman Odell Citizen of the Year award in memory of Charles “Charlie” Davis (1951-2019).
Established in 1996, the citizen of the year award is given annually to a Nelson resident who has made outstanding contributions to the town through his or her volunteer work.
The award is named in honor of Norman Odell, a longtime Nelson resident who served on the planning board, as Nelson historian and as a volunteer fireman. His widow, Helen Odell, was named citizen of the year in 2008.
Each year, the award program solicits nominations from town residents throughout the month of August and early September.
The nominations are submitted to the town office or to a member of ENHS. Each submission is accompanied by a brief bio of the nominee, including information about their volunteer contributions to the area.
A committee, consisting of a non-voting chairman and three voting members — a Nelson town board member, an ENHS representative, and a Town of Nelson citizen — meets late in September to determine the most deserving nominee.
The recipient receives an award plaque and has their name added to a plaque hanging in the town hall.
According to his obituary, Davis was born in Canastota and spent his life in Cazenovia, Erieville and Chittenango.
He taught seventh grade shop/industrial arts/technology for 32 years until his 2006 retirement from Chittenango School District.
In 1987, Davis bought his uncle’s farm in Erieville where he raised registered Herefords from 1987 to 2009.
He was a past president of the New York Hereford Breeders Association and treasurer of the New York Beef Producers Association, as well as advisor for the Junior Beef Producers.
Davis raised money for the Walk to Defeat ALS and served as the initiative’s 2018 spokesperson.
He was also very active in the Cazenovia Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps (CAVAC), serving as president (2016-2019), the Student Corps advisor, and a driver,
In honor of Davis’s service to CAVAC, the organization inscribed the name “Charlie” on the doors of a new ambulance.
According to Citizenship Award Chairman Margie Lyon, this is the first year that the citizen of the year award has been given in someone’s memory.
“The object of the award is community service on a volunteer status, and the committee felt that Charlie’s work with CAVAC, along with his involvement with youth, more than qualified him for this award in his memory,” said Lyon.
On Oct. 18, outside the Town of Nelson Office Building, Nancy Davis accepted the Norman Odell Citizen of the Year award on her husband’s behalf and spoke about his devotion to community service.
During the award ceremony, Assemblyman John Salka presented Nancy with a citation on behalf of the New York State Assembly.
CAVAC President Sara Mitchell also delivered remarks about Davis, his character, and his continued service.
“Charlie was a vital volunteer member of the CAVAC family for over ten years,” Mitchell said. “His enthusiasm and devotion to everything he did was infectious. In 2019, CAVAC was saddened by the deaths of both Charlie and, several months before, Bruce Ball. Both men had served as presidents and had led by example. They were truly the epitome of what it means to be a community volunteer.”
While searching for a way to honor Davis and Ball, CAVAC was preparing to take ownership of two new ambulances.
According to Mitchell, a suggestion was made — and immediately approved — to put the men’s names above the door handles on each side of the new ambulances.
“And so, one ambulance is fondly referred to as ‘Charlie’ and the other one ‘Bruce,’” Mitchell said. “Our crews carry their memory and example with them each time they respond to a community emergency.”
Formed in 1984, ENHS is dedicated to discovering, collecting and preserving historical records and other data relating to the Erieville and Nelson area, and to making the information available to the public.
To learn more about ENHS, visit facebook.com/ErievilleNelsonHeritageSociety/.
