Walden celebrates four leaders during annual ceremony

By Jared Castañeda
Posted 1/15/25

Dozens of Walden residents and officials crowded the village hall’s board room last Thursday, January 9, eagerly awaiting their favorite tradition: the 15th annual Leadership Day, a ceremony …

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Walden celebrates four leaders during annual ceremony

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Dozens of Walden residents and officials crowded the village hall’s board room last Thursday, January 9, eagerly awaiting their favorite tradition: the 15th annual Leadership Day, a ceremony recognizing four outstanding individuals who contribute to Walden’s betterment in various ways.

Volunteer of the Year
Jeffry Holmes, a former Walden police chief, opened the ceremony and introduced Lynn Thompson, the first nominee and recipient of the Midge Norman “Volunteer of the Year” Award. Thompson is an active member of the Walden Community Council, working with the group to host vendor fairs, fundraisers, and other events. She helped Walden accomplish numerous goals in the State Climate Smart Initiative, and through her efforts, the village acquired an electric charging station for the Orchard Street parking lot and converted its street lights to energy-efficient LEDs. Residents have likely seen Thompson at the village entrances or parks, removing weeds and planting flowers to make Walden a more beautiful place.

“Lynn volunteers numerous hours to contribute to the beautification of the Village of Walden. She’s constantly planting, weeding, and improving the village entrance center, Wooster Grove Park, and Bradley Park,” Holmes said. “She works closely with Mike Bliss and the parks department to plant wildflower seeds that will generate beautiful, pollinating flowers for years to come.”

“This is very humbling, thank you to everyone who nominated me and bestowed this honor upon me,” Thompson said. “I just try and do what I can do for our village, and I will continue to do that so long as Mike can put up with me. And if there’s anybody else out there that would like to join forces, I’m always happy to have some help.”

Youth of the Year
Following Thompson, Holmes summoned Caitlin Grogan, the recipient of the Ronald I. Jacobowitz “Youth of the Year” Award. Grogan is a Valley Central senior who wears many hats: she is an Eagle Scout of Troop 31, a Varsity cheerleader, president of VCHS’s environmental club, treasurer of the W.I.S.E. Club, and a member of several Honor Societies and other clubs. She frequently volunteers at the Tsechen Kunchab Ling Buddhist Temple and has helped the temple staff with nature events, created educational signage on local plants and wildlife, and built insect hotels.

“Caitlin’s love of nature and animals has been a major part of her life. She hopes to major in animal environmental studies in college, with particular emphasis on zoo science,” Holmes said. “Combined with her leadership skills, her mentoring abilities, and her overall friendly nature, she will be an advocate in the future for our environment.”

“I am incredibly honored to receive this award tonight. It means a lot for you all to recognize my hard work and dedication,” Grogan said. “I would also like to thoroughly thank Chief Holmes for his unwavering support and encouragement, as I would not be receiving this award if it wasn’t for him. I’m excited to continue striving for excellence and making a positive impact.”

Service of the Year

Next up, members of the Phelps family presented the Sam Phelps Service Award to Logan Heaney, founder of Barry’s Grove. A lifelong Waldenite who takes after his late father, Heaney is an arborist and landscaper passionate about preserving the village’s environment and promoting community services. He works with many local groups to plant trees, hosts frisbee golf fundraisers, supplies materials to Eagle Scouts for their projects, and builds memorial benches. Heaney also planted over a thousand saplings in Wooster Grove, on top of maintaining the park’s soil erosion and retention.

“He also hopes to raise funds in the near future that he can give back through Barry’s Grove to provide scholarships for students interested in forestry and conservation,” said Walden Trustee Becky Pearson, daughter of the late Sam Phelps. “For all of this, we thank you Logan, and the Phelps Family is honored to have you as a family recipient.”

“My father is probably smiling and laughing at me right now because he knows how accepting an award feels so against my nature, and how awkward it makes me feel. To me, recognition is the hardest part of having a good intention,” Heaney said. “I was never fortunate enough to meet Sam, but he felt the same way about that too. So I’m honored, despite certain feelings of awkwardness, to accept this award on behalf of Barry’s Grove and all the people whose strength and support it belongs to.”

Community Business of the Year
Lastly, Holmes announced that Thruway Ace Hardware & Home Center and Thruway Sporting Goods, located on 78 Oak Street in Walden, received the Community Business of the Year Award. Thruway is a major supporter of Walden’s events, whether the store sponsors the Harvest Fest and Music in the Grove, distributes hot chocolate during Christmas in the Square, or attracts visitors with its outdoor expo at James Olley Park. The store also offers supplies to Eagle Scouts and flags to VFW members during Memorial Day.

“Their dedication and support to local Scout troops is amazing and much appreciated, especially providing supplies for various Scout projects, as well as Eagle Scout projects to construct for the good of the community,” Holmes said. “They tend to do all of this community support in a quiet, local manner.”

“I’m really honored to be a fourth-generation member of my family who owns and operates a business in this village. We’ve been at our location since 1955, and before that, on Main Street, so it’s a testament to the village and town we live in that have supported us all these years,” said Brett Concors, owner of Thruway. “Special thanks to all our employees who, without them, we couldn’t keep it going and provide the great service we do. So this ceremony is really for them and the thousand employees that have come before them.”

Keynote Speaker
The ceremony concluded with an address from Jennifer DeFrancesco, this year’s keynote speaker. The proud daughter of a Marine, DeFrancesco is a registered nurse with 25 years of experience, including work for Level 1 trauma centers in New York City, Suffolk County, and Westchester County. In 2014, she got involved in Hudson Valley Honor Flight, serving on the safety medical team before becoming the organization’s executive director in 2017.

Taking cues from her career experiences, DeFrancesco gave the ceremony’s recipients and attendees advice on being a strong leader: “Be passionate and follow your dreams. Always remain humble, and don’t let anyone deter you from what your mission or your goal might be. Never be afraid to ask questions and be sure to surround yourself with supportive individuals who are just as passionate as you are.”

Before closing the ceremony, Holmes mentioned that the Leadership Day committee will add a new, fifth award starting next year’s event: the Thomas W. Bradley Award, named after the colonel who served numerous roles in Walden after immigrating to the village in 1846. This award will recognize an individual or group that contributes to the village’s success and enhancement, as well as demonstrate Bradley’s qualities of commitment, integrity, and loyalty.