The West Seneca Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of the organization’s 75th annual Community Awards. An awards dinner will take place on Feb. 16 at Kloc’s Grove in West Seneca.
Citizen of the Year, Robert Breidenstein: In addition to a career in education, Breidenstein is active in numerous organizations, including Wings Flights of Hope, the West Seneca Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, WNY Educational Service Council, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, West Seneca Softball, West Seneca Rotary Club and more.
Educator of the Year, Keith Ersing: As music teacher and choral/drama director at West Seneca West Senior High School since 2000, Ersing is always busy working with our students as they prepare for performances, rehearsals, festivals, shows and auditions, above and beyond his work in the classroom. A lifelong resident of West Seneca, he is a tireless advocate of promoting, protecting, preserving and funding the arts.
Business of the Year, Armstrong’s Barber Shop: Always striving to be a cornerstone of our town, the team at Armstrong’s Barber Shop is heavily involved in service to our community, offering free haircuts for veterans, participating in the Suicide Awareness Walk, creating awareness of breast cancer initiatives, contributing to Toys for Tots, supporting local fundraisers and serving as a drop-off location for the annual West Seneca Chamber of Commerce Community Food Drive.
Community Service Organization of the Year, West Seneca Historical Society: Organized in 1957, the West Seneca Historical Society maintains and operates the West Seneca Historical Museum on Mill Road, conducts numerous outreach programs and lectures, designates historic sites in town with appropriate markers, responds to frequent requests from our citizens, and promotes and encourages historical research.
Chamber Member of the Year, ConnectLife: As Western New York’s only organ, eye, tissue and community blood bank, the mission of ConnectLife is to educate the community, inspire donations and connect lives. ConnectLife supplies more than 75% of the blood used at regional hospitals, with every unit of blood donated to ConnectLife staying right here in our community. They also work very closely with the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce to host several annual blood drives.
The 75th annual awards dinner will feature a few surprises and will also recognize last year’s award winners who could not attend the traditional dinner event due to pandemic restrictions. Winners in 2021 included the following: Citizens of the Year, Roxann Gaghich and Thomas McDonnell; Educator of the Year, Renee Day; Business of the Year, Yost Neon Displays Inc.; Community Service Organization of the Year, Firemen’s Memorial Exhibit Center of WNY; and Chamber Member of the Year, Chakra.
The West Seneca Chamber of Commerce would like to thank this year’s Community Award sponsors, including Beyond Print Solutions; EFPR Group, LLP, CPAs – Raymond M. Nowicki, CPA, Partner; GEICO Local Office West Seneca; Law Office of Paul Notaro; Seneca Health Care Center; Spectrum Health and Human Services; and Sgroi Financial, LLC.
For information on tickets for the Feb. 16 event, event sponsorship or advertising in the event program, please contact the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce at 674-4900.
An independent, nonprofit business organization, the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce is located in the West Seneca Community Center & Library at 1300 Union Road. Please visit westseneca.org for more information, or follow the Chamber on social media for frequent updates.
