Eight older adults received Schenectady County’s 2026 awards for contributions through work and volunteering, with Meg Levine earning the New York State Older New Yorker Award representing the county and Norma Cortez receiving its Hon. Karen B. Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Edward Clifford, Lenora Moore, Christine Schanz, Elizabeth Stehl, Doug Thorpe and Penny Titus were named Older New Yorker Award recipients.
The County Legislature announced the winners Oct. 21, according to an Oct. 22 county release. The awards were presented during the county’s annual Harvest Festival for older adults and are sponsored by the Department of Senior and Long Term Care Services.
The recognition focuses on older adults who devote their experience and time to community projects and causes, whether as volunteers or through their professional work.
The Senior and Long Term Care Services Advisory Council voted in 2019 to name the awards for Karen B. Johnson. Johnson had served on the council and as a liaison connecting the department with the County Legislature.