Page 3 - CSEA Retiree News Spring 2019

Heater honored by labor for community service
SYRACUSE — For longtime union activist Sally Heater, giving back to the community is just something you do, just like belonging to our union.
Heater grew up in a union household. Her mother and brother were CSEA members, as is her daughter, making our union a multi-generational affair.
A member for more than 40 years, Heater would never give up on our union, just like she would never fail to help someone in need. For Heater, it’s just her nature.
It’s not surprising, as she spent the majority of her career in human services, working for the Onondaga County Department
of Social Services and then the county Health Department until her retirement.
Now in her post-retirement career as a child care provider, Heater remains a union activist
as an officer of CSEA/VOICE Local 100A, our union’s child care provider local she helped organize. She regularly has the children in her daycare volunteer to help her
with community projects, whether it’s filling backpacks with school supplies to donate to area schools, cleaning up trash in local parks,
or donating supplies for veterans’ homes.
Heater also serves as secretary of Syracuse Area Retirees Local 913, as well as several statewide and Central Region committees.
So it’s no surprise she was recently honored by the Greater Syracuse Labor Council at the council’s recent annual Awards Dinner.
Outgoing Labor Council President Dr. Dennis Nave and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli presented Heater with the Charley Bugnacki Award for Community Service.
“If Sally learns of a shortcoming in the community, she responds and usually brings her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and daycare children to ensure they understand what it means to be a good citizen,” said her award description.
Several Central Region officers
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Outgoing Labor Council President Dr. Dennis Nave presents Syracuse Area Retirees Local 913 Secretary Sally Heater with the Charley Bugnacki Award for Community Service.
were on hand to witness Heater receive her award, including Central Region President Kenny Greenleaf, who gave her flowers on behalf of the region.
“We are so proud of Sally and the work she does in our union and in her community,” Greenleaf said. “I was so glad to be with her as she was honored with this well- deserved award.”
“Sally deserves this award better than anyone I know, because
she’s constantly doing things in the community and for our union, putting a good face on our union,” said Syracuse Retirees Local 913 President Charlotte Adkins. “She’s
an example that everyone could and should follow. She’s good at it because she’s done it for a long, long time.”
Heater said she was honored to receive the award, named after a Syracuse area labor activist who was very involved in community service.
“When I found out I was receiving the Charley Bugnacki Award, it was even more special, because he was such a wonderful man,” she said. “It’s quite an honor for people to recognize you for things that you think are normal.”
— Mark M. Kotzin
Sally Heater, left, receives flowers from Central Region President Kenny Greenleaf.
SPRING 2019
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