Recognizing the Civic Work, Philanthropy, and Community Service of Harold ``sandy'' and Connie Wolfinger As Honorees At the Thirty-Eighth Annual Salute to Olean Banquet

Floor Speech

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Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the civic leadership, philanthropy, and community service of Harold ``Sandy'' and Connie Wolfinger. In the last few years, I have come to know them personally as friends, and I have seen firsthand the deep connection they have to the community. I am glad to see that their dedication and passion was recognized on March 7th as honorees at the thirty-eighth Annual Salute to Olean banquet. Each of their stories of self-built business and success is a testament to the importance and hope in the American Dream. In return, Sandy and Connie have generously given back to their community through local civic leadership and philanthropy, which has benefited generations of students across the region.

Harold, or Sandy as he is called by friends, was the first in his family to graduate from college before going into forestry where he worked his way up from humble beginnings in several companies before starting his own--Northern Forests LLC, which continues to be a success thirty years later. Connie is a native to the area, growing up between the communities of Olean, Cuba, and Portville in the heart of the Southern Tier of New York. She spent over thirty years herself as a real-estate broker, specializing in land lease and sales and formed her own company, Field & Stream Real Estate--through which she met her soon-to-be husband Harold as a repeat buyer.

The Wolfinger Family Donor Advised Fund and the Connie and Sandy Wolfinger Fund make possible annual grants to organizations chosen by the Wolfingers across education, home care, and medical assistance to special projects in their community. Since 2019 they are responsible for nearly one hundred thousand dollars in charitable grants and contributions affecting the daily lives of those in our community.

Their deep network and civic mindedness also gave birth to the Right Thinkers--a monthly town hall for public discussion on current events and policy issues where two hundred or more come to listen, learn, and speak their minds to panels of experts and elected officials.

The generosity and pride that Connie and Sandy have for the Southern Tier is tangible, and many are better off because of their efforts. Given the above, I ask that this legislative body pause in its deliberations and join me in recognizing Harold ``Sandy'' and Connie Wolfinger for their decades of service and generosity to their community and upon being named as 2024 Salute to Olean Honorees.

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