Salvation Army honors Hilton service unit

The Hilton Service Unit has been named The Salvation Army's Service Unit Group of the Year for the Empire State Division. The award was presented to Dave Goodrich, chairman of the service unit, by The Salvation Army's Divisional Commander, Lt. Col. Norman E. Wood. The awards reception was held in Cooperstown and brought together volunteers from around the Empire State Division, which covers 48 Upstate New York counties.

Rick Damore, Salvation Army field representative, said the Hilton unit, with Goodrich as chairman, is a productive and pace setting unit. "In the past three years, the Hilton Service Unit has doubled its kettle income and subsequently, initiated higher levels of service," he said.

Twelve years ago, when Goodrich first started on the Hilton (Hamlin) Service Unit, there were four members. Today, there are eight. They are a team, who support each other, find needs and provide services, Goodrich said. Among the services provided are: prescriptions, transportation, food, clothing, beds, bicycle helmets and combs and toothbrushes for kids at school. Of course, they also run the Red Kettle campaign. This past year, the team raised $11,475.

Goodrich said that the effort was made possible by over 200 volunteers. The team's job is to invite the groups to participate. Among the groups which have dedicated hours of bell ringing are: Rotary, the Lions Clubs of Hilton and Hamlin, the Masons, the Knights of Columbus, the Boy Scouts and the Hilton Honor Society.

They come back to ring year after year, says Goodrich, "because it's lots of fun. It has become a community effort. They talk to friends, the kids sing carols. There have even been bell ringers who have played the trumpet and accordion."

"The volunteers think that Salvation Army services to the community are a worthwhile cause and a challenge and it is something we enjoy doing," Goodrich, a retired Monroe Community College employee who has chaired the committee for the past eight years, explained. Other members of the committee are: Aggie Ceneway, Elsie Webster, Nancy Alton, David Soper, Joe Lee, Donna Butterbaugh and Raymon Datz.

The Hilton Service Unit and Goodrich were among six outstanding volunteers honored from the 48 counties of upstate New York. Locally, Priscilla Beeman of Churchville was also recognized.