Rich McCaffery wins national honor

Rich McCaffery displays his award with Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh

After logging decades of tireless service to his community, Cooperstown’s Rich McCaffery has become only one of 100 people across the country to receive a Certificate of National Recognition as a Civic Volunteer.

“Nominating Rich for this award was an easy choice,” said Village Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh. “There is no one more deserving.”

The Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award program considered more than 700 nominations from communities in 47 states, but only 100 win the award each year. The award recognizes the “hometown heroes” whose civic volunteerism is the lifeblood of small-town and rural America.

Deputy Mayor Cindy Falk compiled Mr. McCaffery’s nomination by noting his more recent contributions to the Village, including keeping Main Street clean and attractive, promoting swift emergency response by ensuring fire hydrants are shoveled throughout the winter, and reducing the risk of flooding by coordinating the maintenance of storm drains throughout Cooperstown. For many years, Mr. McCaffery organized an annual Village-wide ‘yard sale day’ and made winter months more tolerable through his leadership on the Winter Carnival committee.