By Janelle Davis
The Baldwinsville Volunteer Center will hold its annual Man/Woman of the Year Awards Dinner on April 22, 2023. Each year, the organization takes the time to celebrate the community of volunteers in Baldwinsville. This year, the event will honor Bill Mercer and Sally Dayger.
The annual recognition was originally an event of the Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce and has been going on for more than 60 years. The Baldwinsville Volunteer Center took over the event in the early 2000s recognizing volunteers who have contributed considerable hours and effort to various organizations throughout the Baldwinsville community.
“We try to focus on the immediate previous year, but we do consider the lifetime of honorees’ volunteer service. Many of the people that we’ve recognized over the last several years have been volunteering for many years,” said event co-chair Megan O’Donnell.
This year’s honorees have displayed great support in the Baldwinsville community. As life-long volunteers, their willingness to give their time and service has made Baldwinsville a better place to live.
Bill Mercer is being recognized for his current active involvement at Syracuse Home, particularly on the McHarrie Life Board and as chairman of the McHarrie Foundation Board. Mercer and his friends also provide musical entertainment at Syracuse Home in honor of his wife Evelyn, a resident. Mercer also offers his time and talent to the Riverside Cemetery Board, civic and school organizations, and is recognized for his musical and guest conducting performances.
“Bill is acknowledged in our community and beyond as an exceptional leader,” said his friend Stuart E. Hosler.
Dayger has been volunteering at the Baldwinsville Community Food Pantry since 1994. She also acts as chair of the PAC-B Board of Directors where she oversees the programming of the channel and the archiving of videos relating to local community events, history, and government meetings. Dayger is a trustee at the Baldwinsville First Methodist Church and is the founder of the Baldwinsville School District Music Hall of Fame.
Past volunteer associations include being the president of the Women’s Garden Club of Baldwinsville and being the chair of the Baldwinsville Committee of the Syracuse Symphony Guild.
The mission of the Baldwinsville Volunteer Center is to encourage, support and empower volunteers to meet the needs of and make a difference in the Greater Baldwinsville Community.
This year’s Man/Woman of the Year Awards Dinner will take place on April 22 at Pasta’s On The Green at Foxfire Golf Course. The event kicks off with a cocktail reception starting at 5 p.m. Presentations of Bill and Sally will begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner afterward. Those interested in attending can make a reservation by calling the volunteer office at 315-638-0251. Tickets for the dinner are $30.
“It’s always so nice to learn about all the volunteer activities people are doing,” said O’Donnell. “Having grown up in Baldwinsville and living here now as an adult, I think Baldwinsville is a very unique community in the number of programs and organizations that really function off the efforts of our volunteers.”
Future Nominations can be mailed to the Volunteer Center at 8220 Loop Road, Suite 101, Baldwinsville, NY 13027, or emailed to the BVC at [email protected]. For more information, call (315) 638-0251.
