6th District Legion awards: Madison County residents are Legionnaire, Firefighter of Year
Two Madison County residents will now go on to New York State competition after receiving Sixth District American Legion awards June 20 at Munnsville American Legion Post 54.
Post 54 Adjutant Frances Holderman received the district's Legionnaire of the Year award and Munnsville Volunteer Fire Department 50-year member Roland Shea Sr. was presented the district's Firefighter of the Year award that evening. Both were commemorated for their dedicated service to the citizens of the community.
The Sixth District American Legion includes Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Madison, Otsego, Schuyler, Tioga and Tompkins counties. Munnsville Post 54 Commander Don Logan sent in the applications and presented the awards, which were initially announced June 12 at the Sixth District American Legion Convention in Marathon, in person to Holderman and Shea.
Logan, who is also the 2nd Vice Commander of the Madison County American Legion, said he is now sending both Holderman and Shea's applications in for the July statewide competitions in their respective categories.
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Holderman, of Canastota, served in the U.S. Army from May 1985 to May 2005, working as a non-Morse signals analyst until she retired as a staff sergeant with many medals, ribbons and awards. After her honorable discharge, Holderman volunteered in fundraising activities for veterans and their families and for children’s causes. She also used her motorcycle riding skills in promoting motorcycle safety and participating in fundraising rides for various non-profit organizations.
She has also served as a Color Guard and Honor Guard member, delivered care packages to shut-ins around the holidays, volunteered at a soup kitchen, became a veteran Hospice volunteer, volunteered nearly 500 hours collecting more than $19,000 in donations for the Salvation Army’s Kettle Campaign in 2016 and volunteered close to 600 hours assisting a CPA in organizing and reporting years worth of financial reports and documents to the IRS to reinstate the tax-exempt status of the post.
"I like the service or help I provide to others, especially the folks who really need the help," Holderman said. "Seeing gratefulness on folks' faces give me a feeling of worthiness. Being an officer with a specific and at times unique job provides me with the means to help the post as well."
Holderman also received the Madison County War Veterans Memorial Committee's 2021 Veteran of the Year award last November.
Munnsville resident Shea's application lauded his many offices including fire chief he has held since he joined the Munnsville department in 1972. He has also held offices in the Madison County Firemen's Association, Central New York Firemen’s Association and the Fire Association of the State of New York and is a charter member of the Madison County Fire Chiefs Association. He has served on the Stockbridge Town Board and represented the town on the Madison County Board of Supervisors.
Shea worked as a 4-H leader and as a board member of Cornell Cooperative Extension of County Association, earning the Gold Clover award in 1986 and Leader of the Year award in 1985. Since 1961 he also served with the Grange on both the local and state levels. He is a founding member of the Post 54 Sons of the American Legion chapter and also served as the grand marshal for the recent Memorial Day parade through Munnsville.
"I enjoy being able to help in the community and doing something that is needed," Shea said, adding one of his favorite jobs has been cooking chickens at the department's barbecues over the decades. "I thank the Legion and the Fire Department for this."
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He was joined at the award presentation by department Chief Todd Collins and President David Bartlett and Post 54 and Madison County American Legion Judge Advocate Carl Griffith.
Both of the recipients admitted they appreciated, although weren't expecting, their awards.
"I am honored and humbled by this and a little bit uncomfortable receiving it," Holderman admitted. "But it is definitely an honor and I like being able to represent our Legion, especially going on to the state competition."
"This was a total surprise," Shea said. "I thought I was going up there for something else and never expected this."
Mike Jaquays is the community news reporter for the Mid-York Weekly. Email him atmjaquays@gannett.com.