Pelham Persons of the Year

Thanks to the Pelham Civic Association for the following:

For the first time in Pelham Civics’ 75-year history, three outstanding volunteers – all from Pelham – will be honored at their Annual Dinner Dance with the organization’s most prestigious award – “Person of the Year” – Missy Palmisciano, Joe Ruggiero, and Joe Solimine.  The traditional Gala will be held on October 25th at the elegant Fountainhead in New Rochelle.

Here’s is a brief description of the three Pelham residents (alphabetically) to be honored at the October 25th Gala:

Michelle “Missy” Palmisciano is Founder and President of County Harvest – a non-profit food rescue organization she began in 2009 to ensure that good, unused food otherwise being discarded was instead rescued and delivered by local volunteers to area soup kitchens, food pantries and homeless shelters. Comprised of over 200 volunteers, and dozens of relationships with County-based agencies and food donor businesses, Missy and her award-winning organization complete more than 60 food rescue runs each week and have collected over 1 million pounds of food since inception helping feed thousands of men, women and children each year. Continually seeking out new food donors and new recipient agencies throughout Westchester County, we are convinced that this initiative will revamp the thinking of countless hunger relief programs across the country. In addition County Harvest, Missy is a member of the Planning Board for the Village of Pelham Manor and an Advisory Board Member for Community Service Associates in Mt. Vernon.  She has served as a Board Member for the Junior League of Pelham as co-chair of Community Outreach, member of the Prospect Hill Site Based Counsel, Board Member of Huguenot Nursery School and various committee roles supporting The Picture House and the Pelham Public Library’s Novel Night.  She and her husband James have three children: daughters Jessica, and twins Allison and Sarah.

Joe Ruggiero, the current Chief of the Pelham Manor Fire Department, has been a Pelham resident all his life. His professional commitment to Pelham as both a decorated Firefighter and Chief is equal to his life-long volunteer and charitable, contributions to the countless number of children and their families. Joe has spent decades using hockey to have a positive impact on kids and in the local community. After creating Learn to Play clinics in the Westchester area, he began serving as a volunteer coach in Pelham Youth Hockey’s in house and travel programs. Joe continues to make significant contributions to Pelham and the tri-state area with his volunteer coaching and administrative league duties with the New York Raptors, a unique and heralded program that focuses on providing mentally and physically challenged hockey players with the opportunities to play hockey in an organized, coached league with games and events that had never been offered to them before. Because of his extraordinary contributions, he was recently presented at Madison Square Garden with the prestigious 2013 Emile Francis Award for “tireless efforts, sacrifices, dedication and service to youth hockey.” The commitment that Joe has demonstrated over the past 29 years does not stop on the ice as he has been a dedicated member of various charities and altruistic causes and programs such as Ice Hockey in Harlem, Pelham Civic Association’s Scholarship committee and as a volunteer with the local Recreation Department. He and his wife Marcia reside in Pelham, with their three children –  Jillian, Christopher, and Alexander – having gone through the entire Pelham School system.

Joe Solimine has devoted much of his past 41 years as a Pelham resident to being an outstanding community advocate, volunteer and leader in the political, athletic, and educational venues. His unparalleled list of leadership, volunteer activity includes: Pelham Town Councilman, Pelham Town Supervisor, Commissioner of the Pelham Recreation Department, as well as Past President of the following organizations: The Pelham Civic Association, The Pelham Board of Education, The Pelham Little League, The Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club, and The Westchester Municipal Officials Association. He has also served as General Manager and Organizer of the Pelham Summer Baseball Program and field manager of The Pelham Mets, Director of the Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club, and Lieutenant Governor of the Bronx Westchester South Division of the Kiwanis. Joe also continues to assist the world-renowned Calvary Hospital with their Annual Tennis & Golf Benefit Outing. Recently diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia (Myelodyplastic Syndrome – which had inflicted WABC Anchorwoman Robin Roberts)  – Joe has been devoting much of his spare time leading an awareness and fundraising campaign for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help find a cure for this insidious disease, if not for this generation, but future victims, as well. He and his wife Joan have raised four children, Jeannine, Joseph, Joanie and Jennifer – all graduates of Pelham Schools.  Joe and Joan have 12 grandchildren, Cassie, Billy, Erin, Tony, Chandler, Timmy, Maggie, Molly, Andrew Joseph, Shep and Lia.

For those new in Town, The Pelham Civic Association is one of New York State’s most active volunteer, charitable organization dedicated to assisting the youth, the elderly, the financially needy, and the mentally and physically challenged throughout our community. It’s many programs, projects and events are fueled through a fall fundraising drive that culminates at its Annual Dinner Dance Gala on October 25th.  There are only 400 seats available at The Fountainhead this year, so “Save-the-Date” October 25th! For more information, visit contact Pelham Civic  Association Dinner Dance Chairman Ed Maher at 914-813-3279 or visit www.pelhamcivics.org.