Labor-Religion Coalition honors PEF leaders
By DEBORAH A. MILES
The Labor-Religion Coalition of the Capital District held its 13th Annual Joseph Powers and Jeanette Dworkin Memorial Awards Dinner in April to recognize individuals and organizations who have worked to improve communities.
Among the recipients were PEF Vice President Tom Comanzo, who won the 2010 Joseph Powers Religious Award. Maddie Shannon-Roberts, a PEF Executive Board member and chair of the PEF Region 8 Women’s Program, received the 2010 Jobs With Justice Community Award.
PEF retiree Marjorie DeVoe, event coordinator, said the award recipients were nominated by their peers.
“Many individuals in our local communities are doing great things that go unrecognized. They do these things out of the goodness in their hearts,” DeVoe said. “This has become an opportunity to express our thanks for their work to support social and economic justice.”
She said Comanzo has been a PEF activist since the mid-1980s and has held several leadership roles in the union. He also has had several roles in his parish churches, is co-chair of the Working Families Party Capital District Chapter and is chair of the Regional Food Bank Holiday Hunger Appeal.
Upon receiving the award, Comanzo thanked all those who have worked with him on so many projects, and his wife, Susan, and daughter, Johanna, for their support of his efforts.
DeVoe said Shannon-Roberts had accomplished wonderful things with the PEF Women’s Program, her PEF division at the state Office of Temporary Disability Assistance, and her community and church.
“Maddie has reached out to others and is doing much for the community as a whole,” DeVoe said. “One of the best examples is the health fair she organizes. It is open to the community. A lot of teamwork is needed in putting an event like that together. Maddie is a leader in getting it done. She is an inspiration to many people.”
Shannon-Roberts is assistant council leader of PEF Division 192. She was appointed PEF chair of the joint Employee Assistance Program Family Benefits Committee by PEF President Ken Brynien in 2009.
Other award recipients were: Kathleen Scales, executive director of the Capital District Area Labor Federation; William Ritchie, former president, Albany Public Schools Teachers Association; the Sweatfree SUNY Coalition represented by Jackie Hayes; IUE-CWA Local 81359 represented by Dominick Patringani and the Holiday Inn Express Strike Force.
Recipients also received commendations from U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko and state Senator Neil Breslin.